Compare towns
Rochester vs Woonsocket vs Wareham vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Woonsocket | Wareham | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,837Lowest |
43,521Highest |
23,302 |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6 20% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Wareham 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 49% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| 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 80% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,530 109% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,341 39% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Wareham 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #272 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Wareham | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Woonsocket High School | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1 |
15.2Highest |
8.6Lowest |
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| 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.