Compare towns
Ashby vs Mendon vs Lanesborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the highest household income ($116k).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Lanesborough has the most affordable homes ($299k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ashby | Mendon | Lanesborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Highest |
1,113Lowest |
3,028 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Lowest 30% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
51.2±4.4 32% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Lanesborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lanesborough and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Lanesborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$86,219±$19kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$299,400±$36kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,349±$199Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Lanesborough and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$5,007Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±41.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lanesborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #200 of 282 in MA | — | #75 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | — | Mount Greylock |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.