What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).

Medway has the highest household income ($174k).

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	Medway
People
Population	17,410Highest	13,436Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA	40.7±2.3Highest about the MA average
	Medway and Bellingham 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%	22.5%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Medway 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 MA: 17.9%	15.5%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Medway 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%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Medway 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	$173,750±$18kHighest 67% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA	$617,300±$21kHighest 10% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA	$1,575±$205Lowest 11% below MA
	Bellingham and Medway 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	$8,730Highest 46% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8%	35.3%±21.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Bellingham and Medway 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%	3.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	30 minLowest 4% above MA
Work from home	18.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	20.7%±3.5Highest MA: 18.6%
	Medway 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	#40 of 282 in MA
School district	Bellingham	Medway
High school in town	Bellingham High School	Medway High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Lowest	13.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.