Compare towns
Hamilton vs Mendon vs Topsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hamilton has the most renters (15.3% rent).
Mendon has the most affordable homes ($616k median).
Topsfield has the highest household income ($196k).
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 | Hamilton | Mendon | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,600Highest |
6,325Lowest |
6,564 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±2.1 9% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
42.2±1.8Lowest 6% above MA |
| Mendon and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±3.8 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.8% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,833±$14kLowest 25% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $720,000±$36k 28% above MA |
$616,000±$37kLowest 10% above MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,794±$394 about the MA average |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
| Mendon and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,213Lowest 20% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±23.6 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Topsfield and Hamilton 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 | #36 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hamilton-Wenham | Mendon-Upton | Topsfield |
| High school in town | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.