Compare towns
Deerfield vs Mendon vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Mendon has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
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 | Deerfield | Mendon | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
6,325Highest |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
46.5±6 16% above MA |
| Deerfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Deerfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14kLowest about the MA average |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% 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 | $414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$599,100±$31k 7% 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 | $1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,432±$743 19% below MA |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Lowest about the MA average |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Deerfield and Mendon 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Mendon-Upton | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | None in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 9.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.