What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

Bellingham has the most kids (22.1% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boylston	Bellingham
People
Population	4,948Lowest	17,410Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Bellingham and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%	14.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	40.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Boylston and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA	$125,307±$10kLowest 21% above MA
	Boylston and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average	$450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA	$1,836±$196Lowest 4% above MA
	Boylston and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Highest 21% above MA	$5,030Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Bellingham and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest MA: 10%	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 8% below MA	36 minHighest 24% above MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	18.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Boylston 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	#72 of 282 in MA	#232 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Bellingham
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Bellingham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	12.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.