Compare towns
Hopedale vs Mendon vs Lancaster
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,027Lowest |
6,325 |
8,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±5.2Highest 11% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Hopedale and Mendon 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest 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%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Hopedale and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% 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 | $466,100±$28kLowest 17% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,788±$223Lowest about the MA average |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% 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 | $6,868Lowest 15% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±30.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 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 | 2.9% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #125 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hopedale | Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Hopedale Jr Sr High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2 |
— | — |
| 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.