Compare towns
Douglas 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
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
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 | Douglas | Lancaster | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207Highest |
8,606 |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
| Douglas and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest 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 | 4.8% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1985 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2 |
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| 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.