Compare towns
Mendon vs Dover vs Putney 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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
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 | Dover | Putney | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,466 |
2,622Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
| Dover and Mendon 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% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| 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 13% above VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| 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 about the VT average |
$670±$49 46% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,125±$789 9% below VT |
| 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 6% above VT |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Putney 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% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Mendon 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 | — | — | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.