Compare towns
Lancaster vs Mendon vs Ware vs Sutton
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%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Mendon | Ware | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
6,325Lowest |
10,048Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Sutton 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3% MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster 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 |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below 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 |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest 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% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton | Ware | Sutton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.