Compare towns
Mendon vs Upton vs Sturbridge vs Strafford
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%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Sturbridge has the most renters (13.7% rent).
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 | Upton | Sturbridge | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
8,189 |
9,960Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Strafford 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651Highest 13% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Sturbridge 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.