Compare towns
Mendon vs Worcester vs Everett 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 the most people working from home (22.5%).
Worcester has the youngest population (median age 33.9).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Worcester | Everett | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
207,055Highest |
50,045 |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
35.2±1.5 10% below 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% |
19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Everett 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% |
13.3%±0.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$85,218±$7k 6% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above 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. |
$374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 71% above U.S. |
$4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$4,880 56% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Everett 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Everett | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | South High Community | Everett High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.