Compare towns
Boylston 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
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
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 | Boylston | Lancaster | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
8,606Highest |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Boylston and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6Lowest 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+ | 22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
| Boylston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47k about the MA average |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350 15% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,840±$196Lowest 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266Highest 21% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$7,213Lowest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7Lowest 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 | 6.4% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Boylston 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 | #72 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.