Compare towns
Mendon vs Sturbridge vs Hopedale
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 most expensive homes ($616k median).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($418k median).
Hopedale has the most renters (20.5% 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 | Sturbridge | Hopedale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325Highest |
2,443Lowest |
6,027 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
47.8±6.8Highest 20% above MA |
44.4±5.2 11% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Hopedale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±6.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Hopedale 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%±7.8 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hopedale and Sturbridge 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% |
55.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Hopedale 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 27% above MA |
$131,568±$34k 27% above MA |
$115,722±$19kLowest 11% above MA |
| Mendon and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$418,400±$29kLowest 26% below MA |
$466,100±$28k 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$2,009±$225Highest 14% above MA |
$1,788±$223Lowest about the MA average |
| Sturbridge and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$6,410Lowest 7% above MA |
$6,868 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.1%±19.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±30.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Hopedale 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.3% MA: 62.5% |
79.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±9.4 MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Mendon and Sturbridge 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #125 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | — | Hopedale |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Hopedale Jr Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.2 |
| 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.