Compare towns
Mendon vs Thompson vs Rochester
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%).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Rochester has the most homeowners (88.1%).
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 | Thompson | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325 |
9,337Highest |
5,837Lowest |
| 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. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
46.5±6 20% above U.S. |
| Thompson and Rochester 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% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±4.6 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% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Rochester 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. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$120,273±$12k 49% 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. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$599,100±$31k 80% 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. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,432±$743 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. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,530 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Thompson 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% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Thompson 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Thompson School District | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.9Lowest |
9.1Highest |
| 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.