Compare towns
Paxton vs Windham vs Holden
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%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Holden has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Windham | Holden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,002Lowest |
16,038 |
20,064Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Paxton and Holden 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Holden 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% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holden 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$141,923±$11k 76% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,300±$29k 42% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$470,700±$13kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,648±$214 17% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129 129% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,359Lowest 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Holden 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% |
2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Paxton and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #57 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Windham School District | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Wachusett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| 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.