Compare towns
Bellingham vs Putnam vs Upton vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
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 | Upton | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,325Lowest |
9,292Highest |
8,189 |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6 13% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Mendon 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%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon 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±$14k 20% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23k 30% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358Highest 42% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477 44% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Bellingham 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bellingham 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Putnam School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | — | Putnam High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.