Compare towns
Bellingham vs Dunstable 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).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Mendon 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 | Dunstable | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410Highest |
3,408Lowest |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Dunstable 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% |
15%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dunstable and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Mendon 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 |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
| Dunstable and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196 4% above MA |
$1,325±$637Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Mendon 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 |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1985 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dunstable 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | Groton-Dunstable | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
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| 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.