Compare towns
Bellingham vs Woonsocket vs Norton
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).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Norton has the most expensive homes ($501k 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 | Norton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410Lowest |
43,521Highest |
19,240 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.6±1.2Highest about the U.S. average |
| Norton and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Norton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.8%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% |
12.9%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$124,535±$11k 54% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Norton 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. |
$501,400±$27kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196 30% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,911±$375Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Norton 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. |
$5,929Highest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.6%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bellingham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Norton and Bellingham 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 | #173 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Norton |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | Woonsocket High School | Norton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
15.2Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.