Compare towns
Mendon vs Paxton vs Bellingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Bellingham has the most renters (31.2% rent).
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 | Mendon | Paxton | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325Highest |
5,002Lowest |
5,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
44±7.6 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bellingham and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% MA: 47.3% |
54.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$134,083±$8kHighest 29% above MA |
$96,763±$14kLowest 7% below MA |
| Paxton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
$431,200±$23kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$1,386±$88Lowest 21% below MA |
$2,009±$358Highest 14% above MA |
| Bellingham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
$4,477Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
74.7%±25.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
1.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
18%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Paxton and Bellingham 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 | #219 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Wachusett | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.