Compare towns
Dudley 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
Dudley has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Dudley | Lancaster | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929Highest |
8,606 |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19kLowest 30% 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 | $1,217±$182Lowest 31% 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 | $3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest 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 | 6.4% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
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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.