Compare towns
Bellingham vs Putnam vs North Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellingham has the most people working from home (18%).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
North Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 45.2).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bellingham | Putnam | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,325 |
9,292Highest |
4,760Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6 13% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.2±9.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| North Brookfield and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Putnam and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Brookfield and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| North Brookfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,763±$14kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$79,285±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Bellingham and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$359,100±$32k 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358Highest 42% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Highest 44% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,176 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bellingham and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bellingham and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #232 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Putnam School District | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Putnam High School | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.