Population 17,028 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bellingham
Household size in Bellingham
| Period | Bellingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.73 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.73 people per household, Bellingham sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the Boston area as a whole, where it has 2.55 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.66, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bellingham
| Period | Bellingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.8 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.9 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Bellingham are younger than 41.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.6, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bellingham
| Period | Bellingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Bellingham than nationally: 12.7%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Bellingham has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bellingham
Renters in Bellingham
| Period | Bellingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.7% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Bellingham is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly three in ten owners (28.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 5.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bellingham
| Period | Bellingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Bellingham than nationally: 7.2%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Vacancy has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bellingham
| Period | Bellingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Bellingham leans older: the median home dates to 1973, against 1980 nationally. Still, homes here are newer than in the Boston area overall, where the median home dates to 1964. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bellingham
| Period | Bellingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,105 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,171 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,255 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,734 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$630 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Bellingham pays $1,734 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the Boston area overall ($2,051). Rents are up $630 a month from 2006–10, a 57% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 38.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bellingham
Bachelor's degrees in Bellingham
| Period | Bellingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.8% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.1% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.1% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.1% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Bellingham (39.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in the Boston area as a whole (51.9%). The share with a degree is up 6.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bellingham
| Period | Bellingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.3% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.7% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.0% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.5% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Bellingham: 94.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bellingham
| Period | Bellingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Bellingham: 7.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only 12 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has risen 1.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bellingham compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham | 2.73 | 41.5 | 12.7% | 21.2% | 7.2% | 1973 | $1,734 | 39.1% | 94.5% | 7.7% |
| Franklin Town | 2.64 | 40.9 | 8.9% | 21.8% | 6.5% | 1978 | $1,888 | 58.4% | 97.8% | 5.2% |
| Blackstone | 2.39 | 43.1 | 11.3% | 27.4% | 4.4% | 1970 | $1,257 | 30.2% | 95.3% | 2.6% |
| Mendon | 2.96 | 44.7 | 10.3% | 12.9% | 7.8% | 1984 | $1,798 | 47.6% | 94.5% | 4.3% |
| Hopedale | 2.73 | 44.1 | 9.0% | 20.4% | 9.4% | 1951 | $1,898 | 47.8% | 94.6% | 1.6% |
| Woonsocket | 2.54 | 37.7 | 22.1% | 62.8% | 9.4% | 1953 | $1,223 | 19.2% | 83.0% | 6.5% |
| Milford | 2.74 | 40.4 | 11.4% | 35.1% | 5.9% | 1965 | $2,030 | 34.1% | 87.1% | 5.0% |
| Millville | 2.66 | 44.6 | 4.6% | 13.4% | 2.1% | 1970 | $1,449 | 31.5% | 93.6% | 3.0% |
| Medway | 2.82 | 42.0 | 5.2% | 14.0% | 1.2% | 1975 | $1,573 | 62.8% | 96.0% | 3.8% |
| Wrentham | 2.77 | 46.9 | 7.6% | 17.9% | 6.6% | 1984 | $1,296 | 54.9% | 91.9% | 6.4% |
| Cumberland Hill | 2.58 | 41.5 | 7.4% | 16.5% | 2.4% | 1979 | $1,330 | 48.2% | 95.2% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Shively, KY · Barnstable Town, MA · Goffstown, NH · Wimauma, FL · Windham, NH · Aledo, TX · Stallings, NC · Alachua, FL · Adelphi, MD · Sparta, WI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bellingham. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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