Compare towns
Medway vs Upton vs Bellingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medway has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Bellingham has the most affordable homes ($451k 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 | Medway | Upton | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,436 |
8,189Lowest |
17,410Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.3 about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
| Upton and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
40.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Medway and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $173,750±$18kHighest 67% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$125,307±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
| Medway and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $617,300±$21kHighest 10% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
| Medway and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,575±$205 11% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Bellingham and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,730Highest 46% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$5,030Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.3%±21.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.7%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Medway 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 | #40 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Medway | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Medway High | Blackstone Valley | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.8Highest |
11.2Lowest |
12.4 |
| 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.