Compare towns
Mendon vs Brooklyn vs Plainville vs Lancaster
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).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Brooklyn | Plainville | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325Lowest |
8,517 |
17,551Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Plainville 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% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Brooklyn 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% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest 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±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon 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. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213 131% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older 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. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #210 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Brooklyn School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Plainville High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.