Compare towns
Mendon vs Chaplin vs Sutton vs Rochester
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 kids (22.8% under 18).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Chaplin | Sutton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
2,070Lowest |
9,452Highest |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
46.5±6Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Sutton 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% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Rochester 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% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Mendon 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. |
$97,846±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$120,273±$12k 49% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$599,100±$31k 80% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
| Mendon and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$6,530 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Sutton 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% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Chaplin 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 | — | #105 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Sutton | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Parish Hill High School | Sutton High School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5Lowest |
12.6Highest |
9.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.