Compare towns
Lancaster vs Paxton vs Sutton vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Paxton has the most affordable homes ($472k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Lancaster | Paxton | Sutton | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
5,002Lowest |
9,452Highest |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Sutton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3% MA: 47.3% |
54.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$472,300±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,386±$88 21% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Paxton 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Wachusett | Sutton | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.