The Town FilesBellingham, Massachusetts
Town in Norfolk County · population 16,945 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $450,700
- Household income
- $125,307
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 38.2
Bellingham is a town of 16,945 people in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $450,700, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for young professionals than 77% of Massachusetts towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Massachusetts towns, more vibrant than 73% of Massachusetts towns.
How Bellingham ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bellingham is worth $450,700, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $125,307, which is more affordable than 88% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,836 a month. 78.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bellingham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $450,700 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,836 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $125,307 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 78.9% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bellingham
| People | Bellingham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.1% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.1% | — |
| Work from home | 18.3% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 36.1 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Bellingham
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 16.6°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.7 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bellingham since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 9, 1953 about 1.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 13, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 28, 2020.
Severe weather in Norfolk County since 1996
Norfolk County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| April 18, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4651: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Norfolk County
Norfolk County had 346,327 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $84,497 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Bellingham itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Public schools in Bellingham
6 public schools with 1,990 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham High School | 8-12 | 749 | 12.5 |
| Bellingham Memorial School | 4-7 | 591 | 14.8 |
| Joseph F DiPietro Elementary School | K-3 | 302 | 14.4 |
| Stall Brook | K-3 | 213 | 11.2 |
| Bellingham Early Childhood Center | PK-PK | 109 | 18.2 |
| Keough Memorial Academy | 8-12 | 26 | 5.2 |
Towns near Bellingham
- Bellingham, MA1.2 mi · 4,782 people · home $431,200
- Franklin Town, MA3.3 mi · 33,261 people · home $611,700
- Mendon, MA3.8 mi · 6,228 people · home $616,000
- Blackstone, MA3.9 mi · 9,208 people · home $404,400
- Hopedale, MA4.3 mi · 6,017 people · home $466,100
- Hopedale, MA4.8 mi · 3,939 people · home $424,800
- Woonsocket, RI5.3 mi · 43,240 people · home $311,000
- Milford, MA5.6 mi · 26,971 people · home $464,700
Bellingham questions
Is Bellingham, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bellingham scores better for retirees than 9% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 48%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.2).
How much does a house cost in Bellingham?
The median owner-occupied home in Bellingham is valued at $450,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $125,307, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,836 a month.
What is the weather like in Bellingham?
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 16.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 47.7 inches of snow.
Does Bellingham get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bellingham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)