Compare towns
Paxton vs Harvard 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).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Harvard | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,002Lowest |
6,927Highest |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Harvard 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% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Paxton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,300±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88 21% below MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129Lowest 19% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Harvard 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% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #219 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Harvard | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | The Bromfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.