Compare towns
Mendon vs Oakham 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 people working from home (15.1%).
Oakham has the oldest population (median age 49).
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 | Oakham | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325 |
1,639Lowest |
9,292Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
49±2.3Highest 26% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Oakham 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% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Putnam 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% |
21.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Oakham 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest 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±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$102,000±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Oakham 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. |
$420,100±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,103 32% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest 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. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Oakham 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 | — | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Quabbin | 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.