Compare towns
Mendon vs Upton vs Plainville 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 most expensive homes ($616k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Bellingham has the youngest population (median age 38.2).
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 | Upton | Plainville | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325Lowest |
8,189 |
17,551Highest |
17,410 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
38.2±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Plainville 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.1%±3.4 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Plainville 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Plainville 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$125,307±$10k 55% 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. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$450,700±$13k 35% 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±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,836±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Bellingham 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$5,030 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±16.6 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±2.7 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Bellingham |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Plainville High School | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
11.4 |
12.4Highest |
| 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.