Compare towns
Mendon vs Dover vs Townshend vs Chittenden
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%).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Chittenden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Townshend | Chittenden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,466 |
1,538Highest |
1,318 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
-1.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
50.8±6.3Lowest 18% above VT |
| Townshend and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
13.8%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon and Chittenden 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% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
51.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Chittenden and Mendon 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 |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$106,250±$28kHighest 31% above VT |
| Chittenden 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±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$287,200±$79kLowest 9% below VT |
$346,800±$35k 10% above VT |
| Mendon and Chittenden 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±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,074±$80 13% below VT |
$1,125±$488 9% below VT |
| Mendon and Chittenden 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 |
$5,364Highest 6% above VT |
$5,346 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1 VT: 48.4% |
14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Townshend 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% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs 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 |
25 min 6% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±3.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
— |
| 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.