Compare towns
Mendon vs Salisbury vs Townsend
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 the most people working from home (22.5%).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k median).
Townsend has the most kids (21% 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 | Salisbury | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,200 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5 30% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Salisbury 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% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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. |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Mendon 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. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 71% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | — | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| 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.