Compare towns
Mendon vs Paxton vs Woonsocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% 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 | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,325 |
5,002Lowest |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Paxton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$134,083±$8kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| 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 85% above U.S. |
$472,300±$29k 42% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,386±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$7,129 129% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Wachusett | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 15.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.