Compare towns
Lancaster vs Lee vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Lancaster | Lee | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
5,719Lowest |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest 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+ | 19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below 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 | $519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% 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 | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,375±$212Lowest 22% below 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 | $7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2Lowest 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 | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Lee | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Lee Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2 |
— |
| 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.