Compare towns
Dummerston vs Reading vs Mendon vs Chesterfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Chesterfield has the most renters (16.4% 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 | Dummerston | Reading | Mendon | Chesterfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
699Lowest |
1,113 |
3,622Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7 20% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±7.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$102,370±$40kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$373,500±$33k 12% above U.S. |
| Reading and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,324±$1k 6% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$6,344Highest 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Reading 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 | — | — | — | #52 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | Chesterfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.