Compare towns
Mendon vs Orange vs Wendell
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 expensive homes ($616k median).
Orange has the most renters (30% rent).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Orange | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325 |
7,573Highest |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
47.1±8.8Highest 18% above MA |
| Wendell 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Orange 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% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wendell and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Wendell 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 |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$65,288±$14k 37% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,239±$519 30% below MA |
| Mendon and Wendell 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 |
$4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,519 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
21.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wendell 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.