Compare towns
Middlesex vs Mendon vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
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 | Middlesex | Mendon | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943 |
6,325Highest |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
| Mendon and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Lowest 108% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 | — | #210 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Mendon-Upton | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.