What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellingham has the most people working from home (18.3%).

Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

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	Cumberland
People
Population	17,410Lowest	36,820Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	38.2±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average	43.5±1.2Highest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Cumberland and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bellingham and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S.	$117,522±$8kLowest 46% above U.S.
	Bellingham and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,700±$13kHighest 35% above U.S.	$431,000±$15kLowest 30% above U.S.
	Bellingham and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$196Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,379±$109Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,030Highest 61% above U.S.	$4,870Lowest 56% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	47.9%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bellingham and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	76.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	18.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bellingham and Cumberland 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	#18 of 38 in RI
School district	Bellingham	Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland
High school in town	Bellingham High School	Cumberland High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Lowest	13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.