Compare towns
Mendon vs Chester vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Shrewsbury has the most kids (25.1% 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 | Chester | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
2,992Highest |
1,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
42.3±5.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Mendon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.1%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$91,250±$23k 12% above VT |
| Mendon and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$331,900±$52k 5% above VT |
| Mendon and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,438±$380Highest 17% above VT |
| Shrewsbury and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 6% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,350Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
71.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
95.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±4.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Shrewsbury 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.