Compare towns
Rochester vs Gardner vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Mendon has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Rochester | Gardner | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,837Lowest |
21,148Highest |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6Highest 16% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Rochester and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rochester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743 19% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,530 9% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 25% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Mendon and Gardner 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 | #104 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Gardner | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.