Compare towns
Bellingham vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Mendon has the most homeowners (86.9%).
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 | Needham | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410 |
32,459Highest |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Mendon 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% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,030Lowest 16% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #232 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | Needham | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
11.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.