Compare towns
Mendon vs Becket vs Bellingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Becket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Bellingham has the most renters (31.2% rent).
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 | Mendon | Becket | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325Highest |
1,962Lowest |
5,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
49.6±4.7Highest 24% above MA |
44±7.6Lowest 10% above MA |
| Becket and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Becket and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.3% MA: 47.3% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$80,417±$29kLowest 23% below MA |
$96,763±$14k 7% below 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 | $616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$431,200±$23k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$2,009±$358 14% above MA |
| Becket and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
$4,477 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
74.7%±25.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18%±4.3Highest 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | — | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Central Berkshire | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.