Compare towns
Bellingham vs Devens vs Abington
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).
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Abington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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.
| Measure | Bellingham | Devens | Abington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410Highest |
1,723Lowest |
17,053 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
39.1±1.8 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±3.4 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Abington and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5 MA: 17.9% |
13.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bellingham and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Abington 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 |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$125,400±$12k 21% above MA |
| Devens and Abington 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 |
$556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$539,600±$34k 4% below MA |
| Devens and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,500±$539Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,724±$250 about the MA average |
| Bellingham and Abington 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 |
$5,556 7% below MA |
$7,045Highest 18% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% MA: 62.5% |
79.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens 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 | — | #143 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | — | Abington |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | — | Abington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
— | 11.3Lowest |
| 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.