Compare towns
Mendon vs Wareham vs West Wareham vs Lancaster
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).
Wareham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Wareham | West Wareham | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
23,302Highest |
2,257Lowest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| West Wareham and Wareham 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% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±7.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Lancaster 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% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
| Lancaster 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 |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Mendon and Lancaster 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 |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
— | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster 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 |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,765 20% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
| West Wareham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and West Wareham 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | — | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Wareham | — | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| 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.