Compare towns
Mendon vs Douglas vs Shrewsbury
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 (+8.5%).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Shrewsbury has the most kids (25.1% under 18).
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 | Douglas | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
9,207Highest |
1,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
42.3±5.6Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$91,250±$23kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$331,900±$52kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,438±$380 about the U.S. average |
| Douglas and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$5,350 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
71.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Douglas 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Douglas | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | — | Douglas High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.