What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($428k median).

Mendon has the most kids (14.6% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookfield	Mendon
People
Population	567Lowest	1,113Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S.	53.4±10.5Lowest 37% above U.S.
	Brookfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	14.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Mendon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	29%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,406±$31kLowest about the U.S. average	$100,524±$23kHighest 25% above U.S.
	Mendon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$428,000±$61kHighest 29% above U.S.	$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S.
	Brookfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,230±$651 13% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,926Highest 90% above U.S.	$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	—	88.6%±42.7 U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	92.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 3% above U.S.	17 minLowest 36% below U.S.
Work from home	13.7%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Mendon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.