Compare towns
Mendon vs Westminster vs Rochester vs Upton
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 youngest population (median age 44.1).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Rochester has the most homeowners (88.1%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Westminster | Rochester | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325 |
8,374Highest |
5,837Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
46.5±6 16% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest 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% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$33k 27% above MA |
$106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% 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±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
$599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| 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±$196 4% above MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
$1,432±$743 19% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Westminster 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 |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Westminster 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% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #112 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Ashburnham-Westminster | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Oakmont Regional High School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6Highest |
9.1Lowest |
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.