Compare towns
Paxton vs Princeton 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).
Princeton has the highest household income ($159k).
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 | Princeton | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,002 |
3,529Lowest |
6,325Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
46.1±7Highest 15% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Princeton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Princeton 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% |
20.9%±3.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Princeton and Paxton 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% |
59.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
$158,750±$46kHighest 53% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
| Princeton 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 |
$520,500±$48k 7% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88 21% below MA |
$897±$852Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129 19% above MA |
$6,633Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69.8%±46.7 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Princeton 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% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8% MA: 62.5% |
94.3%Highest 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 |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
29.5%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Princeton 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 | #59 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Wachusett | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.