Compare towns
Mendon vs Strafford vs Worcester
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%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Strafford | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford 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% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Worcester 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% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Strafford 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±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Mendon 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. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Worcester 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Strafford 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 | — | — | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Strafford School District | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | — | None in town | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.6 |
| 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.