Compare towns
Mendon vs Appleton vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Mendon | Appleton | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,360 |
1,372Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Lowest 26% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 71% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.