Compare towns
Bellingham vs Upton vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellingham has the most renters (31.2% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Shirley has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Upton | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,325Lowest |
8,189Highest |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6Lowest 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.3±3.4 11% above MA |
| Upton and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,763±$14kLowest 7% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$122,365±$16k 18% above MA |
| Upton and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23k 23% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$427,600±$36kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358Highest 14% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,481±$421 16% below MA |
| Bellingham and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Lowest 25% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,156 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
9.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 18% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Shirley 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.