Compare towns
Strafford vs Upton vs Sharon 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
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Strafford | Upton | Sharon | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,372 |
8,189Highest |
1,577 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% 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 | 23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest 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+ | 22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
| Upton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Sharon and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149 129% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest 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 | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 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 | — | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sharon School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.