Compare towns

Paxton vs Sutton 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 most affordable homes ($363k 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.

MeasurePaxtonSuttonMendon
People
Population
5,002
2,239Lowest
6,325Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.8±3.3Lowest
7% above U.S.
48.1±4.1Highest
24% above U.S.
44.1±4.4
13% above U.S.
Sutton 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
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±3.8
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%
21.6%±5.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Sutton 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%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
46.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
15.9%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.8%±2.5
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$134,083±$8kHighest
66% above U.S.
$130,313±$31kLowest
61% above U.S.
$132,256±$33k
64% above U.S.
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
42% above U.S.
$362,600±$16kLowest
9% above U.S.
$616,000±$37kHighest
85% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,386±$88Lowest
about the U.S. average
$1,656±$614
17% above U.S.
$1,840±$196Highest
30% above U.S.
Mendon and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,129Lowest
129% above U.S.
$7,652Highest
145% above U.S.
$7,213
131% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
26.2%±15.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
27.6%±47.2
U.S.: 51.1%
78.7%±26Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
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
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1967Lowest
13 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 minHighest
16% above U.S.
29 minLowest
11% above U.S.
30 min
14% above U.S.
Work from home
25.5%±5.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.8%±5.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.1%±5.7
U.S.: 15.1%
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 — #210 of 282 in MA
School district Wachusett Kearsarge Regional School District Mendon-Upton
High school in town None in town Kearsarge Regional High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.4
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On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.