Compare towns
Brandon vs Mendon vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brandon has the most affordable homes ($228k median).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
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 | Brandon | Mendon | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,120Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.1±3.1Lowest 16% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
| Mendon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Mendon and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Mendon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
| Mendon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,241Lowest 16% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,842 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
19 min 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Brandon 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Otter Valley Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.