Compare towns
Norton vs Woonsocket 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
Norton has the most expensive homes ($501k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Bellingham has the highest household income ($125k).
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 | Norton | Woonsocket | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,240 |
43,521Highest |
17,410Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.2Highest about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
38.2±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Norton and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Norton and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.9%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,535±$11k 54% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $501,400±$27kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$450,700±$13k 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,911±$375Highest 35% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,836±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Norton and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,929Highest 90% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,030 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.6%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bellingham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Norton 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 | #173 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norton | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Norton High | Woonsocket High School | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
15.2Highest |
12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.