Compare towns
Bellingham vs Boylston vs Mendon
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 affordable homes ($451k median).
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Mendon has the most homeowners (86.9%).
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 | Boylston | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410Highest |
4,948Lowest |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Boylston and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±3.4 MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Boylston 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 |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
| Boylston and Mendon 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±$47k about the MA average |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
| Boylston and Mendon 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 |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Bellingham 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% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest 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 | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | Berlin-Boylston | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | Tahanto Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.