Compare towns
Hatfield 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
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Hatfield | Lancaster | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
8,606Highest |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5Highest 17% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Hatfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25kLowest 14% 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 | $440,800±$26kLowest 22% 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 | $1,267±$216Lowest 28% 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 | $4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest 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 | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%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 | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #198 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1 |
— | — |
| 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.