Compare towns
Mendon vs Barre vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Barre has the youngest population (median age 43.8).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
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 | Mendon | Barre | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325 |
5,572Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5Lowest 13% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Barre 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Quabbin | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.