What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellingham has the most kids (22.1% under 18).

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bellingham	Boylston
People
Population	17,410Highest	4,948Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4%	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Bellingham and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Boylston and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,307±$10kLowest 21% above MA	$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA
	Boylston and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA	$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$196Lowest 4% above MA	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA
	Boylston and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,030Lowest 16% below MA	$7,266Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Bellingham and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%	6.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	27 minLowest 8% below MA
Work from home	18.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Boylston 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	#72 of 282 in MA
School district	Bellingham	Berlin-Boylston
High school in town	Bellingham High School	Tahanto Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Highest	11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.