Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0In Bellingham, 77% of adult citizens voted for president in 2024, more than across Massachusetts
Bellingham’s town government spent $74.6 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $4,301 per resident. Water and other utilities ($2.2 million) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Bellingham is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
Bellingham School District
Bellingham’s K–12 school district. The schools are run by Bellingham, so this money is part of the budget above.
Of the $23,840 per pupil, $14,062 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Massachusetts districts overall: 49% local, 43% state, 8% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
About $4,301 per resident a year, or $11.78 a day
Schools are part of the town’s budget, so they lead the receipt: 67% of day-to-day spending.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Bellingham runs its own schools, so school spending is part of this budget. Comparisons are with Massachusetts towns and townships of 10,000–24,999 that run their own schools.
$4,301 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar towns
Bellingham’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($4,301 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 75 Massachusetts towns and townships of 10,000–24,999 that run their own schools: the median was $4,576, and the middle half spent $3,716–$5,278. Bellingham spent less than 59% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($1.4 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Massachusetts towns and townships of 10,000–24,999 that run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Bellingham itself left out).
No trend yet
Bellingham reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $5,030 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.12% of the home’s value, vs 1.07% across Massachusetts.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Bellingham’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Bellingham’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Bellingham →
Who’s in charge in Bellingham
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Bellingham’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on bellighamma.org ↗.
One full-time town employee for every 29 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (a Census estimate). Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (17,336).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
How Bellingham voted in 2024
Official results for Bellingham’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat48.9%4,894 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican48.7%4,869 votesOthers: 2.4% (243 votes).
Most votes in Bellingham: Kamala D Harris
Norfolk County: Harris 62.8%, Trump 34.3% · Massachusetts: Harris 61.2%, Trump 36.0%
of Bellingham’s 13,036 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Massachusetts: 67%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Bellingham: John Deaton
Norfolk County: Warren 59.3%, Deaton 40.5% · Massachusetts: Warren 59.8%, Deaton 40.0%
Most votes in the district: Jake Auchincloss
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Bellingham, its county and the state
| Harris | Trump | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham | 48.9% | 48.7% | 2.4% | 10,006 |
| Norfolk County | 62.8% | 34.3% | 2.9% | 386,447 |
| Massachusetts | 61.2% | 36.0% | 2.8% | 3,473,668 |
Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Bellingham.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: bellighamma.org ↗
- 2Massachusetts HouseState representatives
- 3Massachusetts SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Massachusetts
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Bellingham compares with the towns next door
Bellingham spent $4,301 per resident in 2022; the 7 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $1,438 to $5,657. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Mendon | $1,438 | $7,213 |
| Blackstone | $2,409 runs schools | $5,703 |
| Wrentham | $3,503 runs schools | $7,373 |
| Franklin Town | $4,424 runs schools | $7,044 |
| Milford | $4,520 runs schools | $5,869 |
| Medway | $5,627 runs schools | $8,730 |
| Hopedale | $5,657 runs schools | $6,868 |
| Bellingham | $4,301 | $5,030 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Bellingham’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Bellingham’s government
How much does Bellingham spend per resident?
About $4,301 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $4,301 was less than 59% of 75 Massachusetts towns and townships of 10,000–24,999 that run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Bellingham?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $5,030 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.12% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.07% across Massachusetts. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see bellighamma.org.
Who runs Bellingham’s government?
See bellighamma.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Bellingham yet.
How did Bellingham vote in 2024?
For president, Kamala D Harris 48.9%, Donald J Trump 48.7% (10,006 votes, official results). Norfolk County: Harris 62.8%, Trump 34.3%. Massachusetts: Harris 61.2%, Trump 36.0%.
How many people work for Bellingham?
590 full-time and 93 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $3.4M (about $40.9M a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Bellingham in the state legislature?
State Senate District Norfolk-Worcester-Middlesex (Becca Rausch) and State House District 8th Worcester (Mike Soter). The House district also covers four other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Bellingham’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →