Compare towns
Brimfield vs Ware vs Rochester vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
Mendon has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Brimfield | Ware | Rochester | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,705Lowest |
10,048Highest |
5,837 |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±5.3 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
46.5±6Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Rochester and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±6 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Brimfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$22k 7% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,100±$27k 31% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $886±$365Lowest 50% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,432±$743 19% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,128 14% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±25.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1985 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.7%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Mendon and Brimfield 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 | #108 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brimfield | Ware | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
9.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.