Compare towns
Cornwall vs Lancaster vs Mendon vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% 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 | Cornwall | Lancaster | Mendon | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
8,606Highest |
1,113Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206 20% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Cornwall 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Nashoba | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.