Compare towns
Mendon vs Boston vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Rochester has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
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 | Boston | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325 |
666,442Highest |
5,837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
46.5±6Highest 16% above MA |
| Rochester 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 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Rochester and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$599,100±$31kLowest 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Boston and Mendon 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Boston Latin School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 18.7Highest |
9.1Lowest |
| 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.