Compare towns
Paxton vs Woonsocket vs Mendon vs Spencer
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%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Spencer has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
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 | Woonsocket | Mendon | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,002Lowest |
43,521Highest |
6,325 |
12,008 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Spencer and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Mendon 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% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Spencer 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% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$80,533±$11k about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$382,000±$22k 15% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129 129% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,387 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Spencer 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% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
63% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #210 of 282 in MA | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Mendon-Upton | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| 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.