Compare towns
Bellingham vs Mendon vs Ware vs Norton
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 youngest population (median age 38.2).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Norton has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Mendon | Ware | Norton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,410 |
6,325Lowest |
10,048 |
19,240Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
39.6±1.2 about the MA average |
| Mendon and Ware 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Norton 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% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
12.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,307±$10k 21% above MA |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$124,535±$11k 20% above MA |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,700±$13k 20% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$501,400±$27k 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196 4% above MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,911±$375Highest 8% above MA |
| Norton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,030 16% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,929 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
46.6%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Norton 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #173 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | Mendon-Upton | Ware | Norton |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Norton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
— | 11.1 |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.