Compare towns
Mendon vs Hardwick 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 people working from home (15.1%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
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 | Hardwick | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325Highest |
2,684Lowest |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
46.5±6Highest 16% above MA |
| Rochester and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Hardwick 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% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Hardwick 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 27% above MA |
$75,000±$22kLowest 28% below MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
| 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 10% above MA |
$346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
$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 |
$1,108±$119Lowest 37% 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 | $7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$4,400Lowest 27% below MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Mendon and Hardwick 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 | #163 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Quabbin | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.1 |
| 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.