Compare towns
Mendon vs Upton vs Dedham vs Southampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Southampton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Upton | Dedham | Southampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
8,189 |
25,237Highest |
6,230Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.4±3.5Lowest 9% above MA |
| Upton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Dedham 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$123,125±$23kLowest 18% above MA |
| Upton 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±$37k 10% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$452,300±$25kLowest 20% below MA |
| Dedham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
— |
| Dedham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213 20% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$5,470Lowest 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Dedham 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% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1983 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
8.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Dedham 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #205 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Southampton |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.