What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellingham has the most expensive homes ($451k median).

Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).

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	Plainville
People
Population	17,410Lowest	17,551Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	38.2±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average	44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S.	$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,700±$13kHighest 35% above U.S.	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$196Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,030Highest 61% above U.S.	$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bellingham and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	18.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#232 of 282 in MA	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Bellingham	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Bellingham High School	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.