What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most renters (48.6% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ludlow	Mendon
People
Population	808Lowest	1,113Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	48.7±5.6Lowest 13% above VT	53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT
	Mendon and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9%
	Mendon and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.4%±0.5Highest VT: 21.4%	29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Ludlow and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	49.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
	Mendon and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT	$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$304,000±$32kLowest 4% below VT	$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT
	Mendon and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,018±$91Lowest 18% below VT	$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average
	Mendon and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,237Lowest 16% below VT	$5,342Highest 6% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33%±13.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4%
	Mendon and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest VT: 10.1%	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%	92.2%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 10% below VT	17 minLowest 28% below VT
Work from home	17.3%±6.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9%
	Mendon and Ludlow 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

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.