Compare towns
Bourne vs Mendon vs Upton vs Salisbury
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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Mendon | Upton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
6,325Lowest |
8,189 |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Mendon 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 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 |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Upton 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 |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
| Mendon and Salisbury 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 |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Salisbury 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Mendon-Upton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Triton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.