What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

Bellingham has the most people working from home (18.3%).

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	Cumberland	Bellingham
People
Population	36,820Highest	17,410Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.5±1.2Highest 12% above U.S.	38.2±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Cumberland and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bellingham and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,522±$8kLowest 46% above U.S.	$125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S.
	Bellingham and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$431,000±$15kLowest 30% above U.S.	$450,700±$13kHighest 35% above U.S.
	Bellingham and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,379±$109Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,836±$196Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,870Lowest 56% above U.S.	$5,030Highest 61% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.9%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	62.8%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bellingham and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.
Work from home	14.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bellingham and Cumberland 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	#18 of 38 in RI	#232 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland	Bellingham
High school in town	Cumberland High School	Bellingham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Highest	12.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.