Compare towns

Mendon vs Rochester vs Woonsocket

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%).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% 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.

MeasureMendonRochesterWoonsocket
People
Population
6,325
5,837Lowest
43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
44.1±4.4
13% above U.S.
46.5±6Highest
20% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below 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%±6.2
U.S.: 22%
20.1%±4.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket 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%
20.1%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Rochester and Mendon 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%
19.8%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%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
Mendon and Woonsocket 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.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below 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.
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below 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
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
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.
$3,960Lowest
27% 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%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
7.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
5.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
88.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1984
4 yrs newer than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
14% above U.S.
37 minHighest
38% above U.S.
29 minLowest
11% above U.S.
Work from home
15.1%±5.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
8.3%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Mendon and Rochester 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 #37 of 38 in RI
School district Mendon-Upton Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town None in town Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
9.1Lowest
15.2Highest
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.