Compare towns
Blackstone vs Plainfield vs Bellingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blackstone has the most renters (26.8% rent).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Bellingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).
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 | Blackstone | Plainfield | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255 |
616Lowest |
17,410Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7 8% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
| Plainfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Bellingham and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,191±$21k 9% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$125,307±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
| Bellingham and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34k 28% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$450,700±$13kHighest 20% below MA |
| Bellingham and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,292±$558 27% below MA |
$1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Bellingham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703Highest 5% below MA |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$5,030 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 16% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | — | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | — | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | — | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
| 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.