Compare towns
Paxton vs Fairhaven 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 people working from home (25.5%).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
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 | Fairhaven | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,002Lowest |
15,903Highest |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Fairhaven 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% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest 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%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8kHighest 29% above MA |
$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% 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 | $472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88 21% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129 19% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Fairhaven 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% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 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 | #219 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Fairhaven | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Fairhaven High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.