Compare towns
Mendon vs Plainfield vs Lancaster vs Upton
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 expensive homes ($616k median).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Plainfield | Lancaster | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325Lowest |
15,141Highest |
8,606 |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Plainfield 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. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster 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. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Upton 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. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% 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. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 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% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| 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.