Compare towns
Worcester vs Mendon vs Middlesex vs Stowe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Mendon has the highest household income ($132k).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Worcester | Mendon | Middlesex | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
6,325Highest |
1,943 |
5,285 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6 19% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$93,618±$33k 16% 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 | $271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$616,000±$37k 85% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,458±$242 3% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$7,161 130% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Stowe 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 | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.3 |
| 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.