Compare towns
Hopedale vs Mendon vs Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hopedale has the most affordable homes ($466k median).
Mendon has the most homeowners (86.9%).
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Hopedale | Mendon | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,027 |
6,325Highest |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±5.2 11% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
| Boylston and Hopedale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±6.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Hopedale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.7 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Hopedale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Hopedale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,722±$19kLowest 11% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
| Boylston and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $466,100±$28kLowest 17% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$578,600±$47k about the MA average |
| Mendon and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,788±$223Lowest about the MA average |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Boylston and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Lowest 15% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±30.9 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Hopedale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 6% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Mendon 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 | #125 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hopedale | Mendon-Upton | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Hopedale Jr Sr High | None in town | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| 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.