Compare towns
Mendon vs Paxton vs Southampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Southampton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Southampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325Highest |
5,002Lowest |
6,230 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
43.4±3.5 9% above MA |
| Mendon and Southampton 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% |
19.1%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Southampton 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% |
21.9%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Southampton 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% |
41.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$134,083±$8kHighest 29% above MA |
$123,125±$23kLowest 18% above 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 |
$452,300±$25kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,386±$88Lowest 21% below MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
$5,470Lowest 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1983 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Paxton 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA | #205 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Wachusett | Southampton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.