Compare towns
Lancaster vs Sterling 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%).
Sterling has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
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 | Sterling | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
8,183 |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
51.5±1.8Highest 29% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±4.1Lowest 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% |
22.9%±4Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sterling 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Sterling 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 |
$129,063±$27kLowest 24% 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 | $519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$498,800±$48kLowest 11% 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 |
$1,699±$161Lowest 4% 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 |
$6,757Lowest 13% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
46%±23.1Lowest 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% |
6% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Sterling 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Wachusett | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.