Compare towns
Mendon vs Gardner vs Upton 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 expensive homes ($616k median).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Gardner | Upton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
21,148Highest |
8,189 |
5,837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
46.5±6Highest 16% above MA |
| Rochester and Upton 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% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Gardner 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 |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
| Upton 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 10% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
| 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 4% above MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,432±$743 19% below MA |
| Mendon and Rochester 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 |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Gardner | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Blackstone Valley | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.2 |
9.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.