Rank
160
B-
Bellingham
3 schools · 1 high school · 2 elementary schools · Bellingham
Bellingham is a suburban town located about 40 miles south of Boston, situated between Providence, Rhode Island and the Massachusetts South Shore. The town's public school district serves approximately 2,500 students across two elementary schools and Bellingham High School. With a graduation rate of 92.2%, the district demonstrates solid academic performance for a mid-sized Massachusetts community. Bellingham has retained its rural character despite suburban development, with significant conservation land and historical ties to early American manufacturing along its waterways.
Avg MCAS ELA
45.3%
#180 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
43.3%
#172 of 326
Avg SAT
1,099
#177 of 290
Attendance
93.4%
#170 of 328
Graduation Rate
92.2%
#189 of 288
AP Pass Rate
75%
#132 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$21,558
#170 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$98,522
#98 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 44% | 45% | — | 495 | 130 |
| Grade 4 | 30% | 40% | — | 492 | 142 |
| Grade 5 | 29% | 30% | 43% | 490 | 150 |
| Grade 6 | 29% | 36% | — | 490 | 146 |
| Grade 7 | 15% | 31% | — | 484 | 157 |
| Grade 8 | 23% | 17% | 30% | 482 | 161 |
| Grade 10 | 48% | 40% | 48% | 497 | 154 |
| HS Science | — | — | 43% | 497 | 144 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 70%
Asian: 3.4%
Hispanic: 18.6%
Black: 3.5%
Multi-Race: 3.8%
Am. Indian: 0.4%
Pac. Islander: 0.3%
Female: 48.9%Male: 51.1%
High Schools in Bellingham
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
162
B-
Bellingham High School
SAT
1,099
ELA
51%
Math
42%
Grad
92.2%
162
B-
Bellingham High School
1,099
51%
42%
75%
92.2%
Elementary Schools in Bellingham
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
425
B-
Joseph F DiPietro Elementary School
ELA
45%
Math
48%
Attend.
94.7%
Class
18
425
B-
Joseph F DiPietro Elementary School
45%
48%
94.7%
18
487
B-
Stall Brook
ELA
40%
Math
40%
Attend.
94.5%
Class
16
487
B-
Stall Brook
40%
40%
94.5%
16
District Operations
Attendance
#170 of 328Attendance Rate93.4%
Avg Days Absent11
Chronically Absent (10%+)19.2%
Chronically Absent (20%+)4.5%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#170 of 325In-District Per Pupil$20,735
Total Per Pupil$21,558
Total FTE Students2,351
Teacher Salaries
#98 of 325Average Salary$98,522
Teacher FTE Count155
Salary vs. Town Income2.3x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 2.3x the town's per capita income ($43,546). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#176 of 327Avg Class Size17
English Learners6.1%
Students w/ Disabilities23.7%
Total Students2,058
Staffing & Retention
#130 of 327Teacher Retention88.5%
Principal Retention100%
Total Teachers156
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Bellingham
Avg Assessed Value
$490,174
#168 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$6,073
Income Per Capita
$43,546
#152 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#217
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.24%
Tax as % of Income13.95%(typical)
Bond RatingAA+(excellent)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$58.9M+1.45% levy growth(typical)
Residential$45.7M
Commercial/Industrial$13.2M
Residential Share69.23%(typical)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 4.0% (2.5% base + 1.45% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (69.23%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$3.8M4.6% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $81.7M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 1,837(76.7%)
Vocational: 105(4.4%)
Charter: 180(7.5%)
Private: 47(2.0%)
Home School: 52(2.2%)
Total: 2,395