Compare towns
Bellingham vs Woonsocket vs Mendon
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 most people working from home (18.3%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k 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 | Woonsocket | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410 |
43,521Highest |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellingham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Woonsocket 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 55% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Mendon 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 35% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196 30% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,030 61% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bellingham and Mendon 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Lowest |
15.2Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.