Compare towns
Paxton vs Sturbridge vs Sutton 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%).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
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 | Sturbridge | Sutton | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,002Lowest |
9,960Highest |
9,452 |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Sutton 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% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton 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% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
| Sutton and Sturbridge 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 |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88 21% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129 19% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Sutton 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Paxton and Sutton 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.