Compare towns
Ware vs Upton vs Mendon vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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 | Ware | Upton | Mendon | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
8,189 |
6,325Lowest |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.2 |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.