Compare towns
Mendon vs Plainfield vs Sterling 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 most people working from home (15.1%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Rochester has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
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 | Sterling | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
15,141Highest |
3,629Lowest |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
46.5±6Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Rochester 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% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Plainfield 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% 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% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5 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±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% 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. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below 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. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% 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. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$6,530 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District | Sterling School District | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Highest |
— | 9.1Lowest |
| 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.