Compare towns
Proctor vs Paxton vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Proctor | Paxton | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,794Lowest |
5,002Highest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.3±2.7 9% above U.S. |
| Proctor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Proctor and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$134,083±$8kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$87,019±$22k 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$17kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$472,300±$29kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$320,600±$22k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,386±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,056±$441 25% below U.S. |
| Paxton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,032Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$7,129Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,816 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Proctor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #219 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Wachusett | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.