Compare towns
Braintree vs Cornwall vs Mendon vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k median).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Braintree | Cornwall | Mendon | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,208 |
1,113 |
2,239Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
$114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,125±$206 20% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$6,726 116% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.4 |
| 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.