Compare towns
Mendon vs Dover 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 shortest commute (30 min average).
Dover has the most people working from home (34.2%).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
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 | Dover | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325Highest |
5,930 |
5,837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
46.5±6Highest 16% above MA |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Rochester and Dover 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% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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 27% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$120,273±$12kLowest 16% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$599,100±$31kLowest 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA |
| Dover and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213 20% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,530Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #210 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Highest |
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.