Compare towns
Chittenden vs Waitsfield vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chittenden has the highest household income ($106k).
Waitsfield has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Waitsfield | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,318 |
1,918Highest |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.3% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.8±6.3 18% above VT |
44.3±5.3Lowest about the VT average |
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 | 13.8%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.8%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Waitsfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.5% VT: 43.8% |
63.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.8%±3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,250±$28kHighest 31% above VT |
$84,375±$34kLowest 4% 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 | $346,800±$35kLowest 10% above VT |
$422,400±$92kHighest 33% above VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
| Waitsfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$488Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,200±$821 about the VT average |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
| Mendon and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,346 6% above VT |
$6,208Highest 23% above VT |
$5,342Lowest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.4%±30.6 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 15%±3.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.