Compare towns
Bourne vs Lancaster vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Bourne | Lancaster | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
8,606 |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #206 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.