Compare towns
Bellingham vs Townsend vs Abington
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 people working from home (18.3%).
Townsend has the oldest population (median age 40.9).
Abington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Townsend | Abington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410Highest |
9,100Lowest |
17,053 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average |
39.1±1.8 about the MA average |
| Townsend and Abington 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% |
21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Abington 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% |
17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Townsend 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,307±$10k 21% above MA |
$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA |
$125,400±$12kHighest 21% above MA |
| Abington 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 |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$539,600±$34kHighest 4% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,724±$250 about the MA average |
| Bellingham and Abington 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 |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$7,045Highest 18% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11 MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Bellingham and Abington 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #143 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | North Middlesex | Abington |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | North Middlesex Regional | Abington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
13.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.