Compare towns
Mendon vs Cornwall vs Stowe vs Strafford
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 affordable homes ($357k median).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Cornwall | Stowe | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,208 |
5,285Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
46.3±7.6Lowest 7% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford and Cornwall 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 24% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$93,618±$33kLowest 15% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kLowest 13% above VT |
$458,000±$49k 45% above VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
| Stowe and Cornwall 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 |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Stowe and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Lowest 6% above VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$7,149 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
19 min 18% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Stowe Town School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.