Compare towns
Bellingham vs Wareham 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%).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
Abington has the most expensive homes ($540k 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.
| Measure | Bellingham | Wareham | Abington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410 |
23,302Highest |
17,053Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
39.1±1.8 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±3.4 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest 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% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below 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 |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$539,600±$34kHighest 4% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% 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 | $5,030 16% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$7,045Highest 18% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #143 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | Wareham | Abington |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | Wareham Senior High | Abington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
8.6Lowest |
11.3 |
| 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.