Compare towns
Mendon vs Rochester vs Suffield
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 kids (22.8% under 18).
Rochester has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k 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 | Rochester | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325 |
5,837Lowest |
15,702Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.5±6Highest 20% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Suffield 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% |
20.1%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Rochester 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% |
20.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Suffield 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% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Suffield 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. |
$120,273±$12k 49% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% 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. |
$599,100±$31k 80% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% 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. |
$1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
$1,424±$141Lowest 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. |
$6,530 109% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield 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 | #104 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.1Lowest |
10.9Highest |
| 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.