Compare towns
Mendon vs Warner vs Lancaster vs Bellingham
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Warner has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Bellingham has the youngest population (median age 38.2).
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 | Warner | Lancaster | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
2,959Lowest |
8,606 |
17,410Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
43.7±4 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
38.2±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Mendon and Warner 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% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Bellingham 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% |
20.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warner and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Warner 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 64% above U.S. |
$94,022±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$125,307±$10k 55% above U.S. |
| 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 85% above U.S. |
$353,100±$22kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$450,700±$13k 35% above U.S. |
| 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 30% above U.S. |
$1,219±$123Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,836±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213 131% above U.S. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$5,030Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #210 of 282 in MA | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Kearsarge Regional School District | Nashoba | Bellingham |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.