Compare towns
Leicester vs Mendon vs Whiting vs Brandon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
Brandon has the most affordable homes ($228k 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 | Leicester | Mendon | Whiting | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
1,113 |
532Lowest |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +4.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.8 13% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
| Mendon and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$30k 13% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
| Mendon and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,700±$107k about the VT average |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
| Mendon and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,098±$300 11% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,204±$519 about the VT average |
$1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
| Mendon and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,822Lowest 24% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,227 16% below VT |
$4,241 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±40.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
22 min 7% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 12.7%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Leicester 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 | — | — | — | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.