Compare towns
Bristol vs Chittenden vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most renters (28.7% rent).
Chittenden has the highest household income ($106k).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Bristol | Chittenden | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
1,318 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.7% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Lowest 11% above VT |
50.8±6.3 18% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
| Mendon and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.8%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
51.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
3.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
$106,250±$28kHighest 31% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
| Chittenden and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46kLowest 7% above VT |
$346,800±$35k 10% above VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
| Mendon and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$1,125±$488Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
| Bristol and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$5,346 6% above VT |
$5,342Lowest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
15%±3.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Bristol 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.