Compare towns
Paxton vs Sutton vs Thompson vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
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 | Sutton | Thompson | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,002Lowest |
9,452Highest |
9,337 |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8k 66% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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±$29k 42% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129 129% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Sutton | Thompson School District | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
7.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.