Compare towns
Cambridge vs Mendon vs Arlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most renters (29.7% rent).
Mendon has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Cambridge | Mendon | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,767Highest |
1,113Lowest |
2,598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8Lowest 13% below VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
37.6±4 13% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Arlington and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$102,308±$11kHighest 26% above VT |
| Arlington and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,000±$38k 8% above VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$318,500±$59kLowest about the VT average |
| Mendon and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$66Lowest 4% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,191±$172 3% below VT |
| Mendon and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910 about the VT average |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
77.1%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 38% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington 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 | #25 of 70 in VT | — | #50 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cambridge School District | — | Arlington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Arlington Memorial |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.