Compare towns
Hopedale vs Mendon vs Bellingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hopedale has the oldest housing (typical home built 1959).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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.
| Measure | Hopedale | Mendon | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,027Lowest |
6,325 |
17,410Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±5.2Highest 11% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
| Hopedale and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±6.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Hopedale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
40.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Hopedale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,722±$19kLowest 11% above MA |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$125,307±$10k 21% above MA |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $466,100±$28k 17% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,788±$223Lowest about the MA average |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,836±$196 4% above MA |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868 15% above MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$5,030Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±30.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #125 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hopedale | Mendon-Upton | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Hopedale Jr Sr High | None in town | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.