Compare towns
Brookline vs Mendon vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Strafford has the most renters (11.1% rent).
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 | Brookline | Mendon | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Brookline School District | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.