Town Hall · Bellingham

Bellingham, MA town hall & government

Bellingham spent $86.9 million in the year to June 30, 2022, about $5,010 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Bellingham's government.

Town budget

Where Bellingham's money goes

Spent
$86.9 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2022
Per resident
$5,010
typical Massachusetts towns: $4,883
Long-term debt
$36.5 million
$2,103 per resident
Schools
$50.5 million58%
Administration & buildings
$4.5 million5%
Fire
$3.9 million4%
Water & other utilities
$3.7 million4%
Police
$3.6 million4%
Roads & transportation
$3.2 million4%
Paid to other governments
$2.5 million3%
Sewer & trash
$1.4 million2%
Interest on debt
$833,0001%
Parks & libraries
$781,0001%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$549,0001%
Housing & development
$280,000<1%
Health & welfare
$255,000<1%
Other
$10.9 million13%

Bellingham runs its own schools, so school spending is part of its budget. Comparisons are with other Massachusetts towns.

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 60%
  • From the state 17%
  • Fees & charges 9%
  • From the federal government 6%
  • Utility sales 4%
  • Other taxes & licenses 2%
  • Interest, fines & other 1%
  • Sales taxes 1%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce · Census estimate

Who works for Bellingham

Full-time staff
590
93 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$65,700
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
31
and 65 full-time firefighters
Schools
426 full-time59 part
Fire
66 full-time
Police
40 full-time1 part
Administration & buildings
17 full-time1 part
Health & welfare
7 full-time20 part
Water & other utilities
13 full-time
Parks & libraries
7 full-time6 part
Sewer & trash
5 full-time1 part
Roads & transportation
4 full-time
Other
5 full-time5 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Bellingham didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.

Property tax

What homeowners in Bellingham pay

Typical tax bill
$5,030
a year · Massachusetts typical $5,992
Effective rate
1.12%
of home value · Massachusetts 1.07%
Typical home value
$450,700
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Bellingham's government

🏛️ Official websitebellighamma.org ↗

Town hall & decisions in Bellingham →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Bellingham

Bellingham is represented in Congress by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey and Representative Jake Auchincloss. Maura Healey is governor.

All of Bellingham's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Bellingham

Massachusetts · MA · Norfolk County
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