Compare towns
Mendon vs Temple vs Upton vs Bellingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Temple | Upton | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
1,363Lowest |
8,189Highest |
5,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44±7.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Temple and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Bellingham 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 64% above U.S. |
$94,107±$15kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$96,763±$14k 20% above U.S. |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$431,200±$23k 30% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
$1,169±$523 17% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,009±$358Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213 131% above U.S. |
$6,983 124% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,477Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.2%±54.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.7%±25.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bellingham 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Contoocook Valley School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.