Compare towns
Bethany vs Lancaster vs Mendon vs Beacon Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Beacon Falls has the most affordable homes ($350k 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 | Bethany | Lancaster | Mendon | Beacon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
8,606Highest |
6,325 |
6,147 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
48.4±3.8Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Beacon Falls and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $166,236±$20kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$101,516±$42kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Bethany and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,000±$42k 26% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$350,300±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,840±$196Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$1,921±$286 36% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313Highest 167% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
$6,534Lowest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±30.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Beacon Falls 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 | #30 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #77 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Woodland Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.