Compare towns
Mendon vs Mendon vs Strafford 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).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Mendon | Strafford | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
46.5±6 20% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Strafford 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. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$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. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above 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. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
| 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 131% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$6,530 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Mendon 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% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Strafford 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 | — | — | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | — | Strafford School District | 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 | 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.