Compare towns
Mendon vs Lancaster vs Upton 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%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Lancaster | Upton | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
1,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
42.3±5.6Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Upton 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Upton 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% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Mendon 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. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$91,250±$23kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$331,900±$52kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,438±$380 about the U.S. average |
| Lancaster 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. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,350 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.