Compare towns
Paxton vs Devens vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paxton has the most affordable homes ($472k median).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Paxton | Devens | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,002 |
1,723Lowest |
6,325Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Devens and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| 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+ | 54.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
| Devens and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,300±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88Lowest 21% below MA |
$1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Mendon and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129 19% above MA |
$5,556Lowest 7% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Mendon 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% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens 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 | #219 of 282 in MA | — | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | — | Mendon-Upton |
| High school 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.