Compare towns
Exeter vs Lancaster vs Mendon vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Exeter | Lancaster | Mendon | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,195 |
8,606 |
6,325Lowest |
9,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$30kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,200±$43kLowest 53% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$307 7% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% 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 | $5,881Lowest 89% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | #14 of 38 in RI | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton | Sutton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.6 |
| 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.