Compare towns
Grafton vs Mendon vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most affordable homes ($217k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 54.3).
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 | Grafton | Mendon | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,859Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,467 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±6.9Lowest 35% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
54.3±4.6Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Grafton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.8%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,809±$24kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$85,938±$16kLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Grafton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $216,800±$39kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$357,000±$44kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$230,600±$24k 31% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$329 21% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651Highest 13% below U.S. |
$794±$175Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,452Lowest 11% above U.S. |
$5,342Highest 71% above U.S. |
$3,630 16% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.5%±46.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±53.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.