Compare towns
Mendon vs Reading vs Wakefield 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 homeowners (86.9%).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Bellingham has the most affordable homes ($431k 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 | Mendon | Reading | Wakefield | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
5,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
44±7.6 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Bellingham 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$96,763±$14kLowest 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$431,200±$23kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196Lowest 4% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,009±$358Highest 14% above MA |
| Bellingham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213 20% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$4,477Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
74.7%±25.4 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 | 7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
18%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.