Compare towns
Mendon vs Lancaster vs Putnam
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
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 | Lancaster | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325Lowest |
8,606 |
9,292Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Putnam 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Putnam 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% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Putnam 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. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Lancaster 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. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213 131% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #210 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.