Compare towns
Mendon vs Ware vs Ware vs Southampton
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).
Ware has the most renters (42.6% 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 | Ware | Ware | Southampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
6,369 |
10,048Highest |
6,230Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
43.4±3.5 9% above MA |
| Mendon and Southampton 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Southampton and Ware 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 MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
41.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Southampton 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 |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$123,125±$23k 18% above MA |
| Mendon and Southampton 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 |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$452,300±$25k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$5,470 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
90.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1983 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
27 min 9% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
8.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Mendon 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #205 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | — | Ware | Southampton |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.