Compare towns
Mendon vs Sutton vs Easthampton vs Rochester
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 kids (22.8% under 18).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Easthampton has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Rochester has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
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 | Sutton | Easthampton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
9,452 |
16,086Highest |
5,837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46±2.6 15% above MA |
46.5±6Highest 16% above MA |
| Rochester and Easthampton 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% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Easthampton 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 27% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
| 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 10% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
$599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
| 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 4% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,292±$70 27% below MA |
$1,432±$743 19% below MA |
| 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 20% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$4,932Lowest 18% below MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Easthampton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Sutton | Easthampton | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | Easthampton High | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
9.8 |
9.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.