Compare towns
Bellingham vs Lancaster 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Lancaster | Abington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410Highest |
8,606Lowest |
17,053 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
39.1±1.8 about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Abington 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest 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%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster 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% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Abington 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 |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$125,400±$12k 21% above MA |
| Lancaster 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 |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$539,600±$34kHighest 4% below MA |
| Abington and Lancaster 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 |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,724±$250Lowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster 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 |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$7,045 18% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #232 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #143 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | Nashoba | Abington |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | None in town | 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.