Compare towns
Mendon vs Plainfield vs Sutton vs Bellingham
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).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Bellingham has the most renters (31.2% rent).
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 | Sutton | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
15,141Highest |
9,452 |
5,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
44±7.6 13% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Bellingham 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% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3% 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% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.4Lowest 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. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$96,763±$14k 20% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Mendon 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. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$431,200±$23k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$2,009±$358Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Mendon 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. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$4,477 44% 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% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.7%±25.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Bellingham 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% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Bellingham 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District | Sutton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Sutton High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.