Compare towns
Columbus vs Mendon vs Burns
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Columbus has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Burns has the most affordable homes ($101k median).
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 | Columbus | Mendon | Burns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 849Lowest |
1,113Highest |
888 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±11.8Lowest 12% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
43.9±7.1 13% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Columbus and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.4%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,889±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$100,524±$23kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$64,491±$6k 20% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $124,700±$36k 63% below U.S. |
$357,000±$44kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$100,800±$18kLowest 70% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$635Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$942±$139Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Columbus and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,071 about the U.S. average |
$5,342Highest 71% above U.S. |
$2,783Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.6%±92.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±48.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.2%±16.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.