Compare towns
Bellingham vs Plainville vs Blackstone
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellingham has the highest household income ($125k).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Blackstone has the oldest housing (typical home built 1967).
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 | Plainville | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410 |
17,551Highest |
9,255Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellingham and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,700±$13kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,030 61% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Bellingham 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bellingham and Blackstone 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | Plainville High School | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
11.4Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.