Compare towns
Chittenden vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chittenden has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Chittenden | Lancaster | Sutton | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,318 |
8,606 |
9,452Highest |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±6.3 31% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,250±$28k 32% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,800±$35kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$488Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,346 71% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.8%±55.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 | Nashoba | Sutton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
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| 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.