Compare towns
Mendon vs Halifax vs Windsor Locks 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 highest household income ($132k).
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
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 | Halifax | Windsor Locks | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
7,748 |
12,579Highest |
5,837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.5±6Highest 20% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Halifax 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% |
18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$118,556±$11k 47% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$120,273±$12k 49% above U.S. |
| 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±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$481,500±$51k 45% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below 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. |
$1,804±$375 28% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
| Mendon and Halifax 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. |
$6,840 119% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,530 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±37.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Halifax | Windsor Locks School District | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.9Lowest |
9.1Highest |
| 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.