Compare towns
Mendon vs Stow vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k 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 | Stow | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325Lowest |
7,165 |
8,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Lowest 20% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Lancaster 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 | #44 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.