Compare towns
Mendon vs Dummerston vs Wardsboro 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Wardsboro has the most affordable homes ($299k median).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
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 | Dummerston | Wardsboro | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113 |
2,090Highest |
820Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
| Mendon and Wardsboro 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% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon and Wardsboro 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% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford 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 |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Dummerston 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 |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$299,300±$47kLowest 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±$651 about the VT average |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Wardsboro and Dummerston 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 |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Wardsboro 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% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.4% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | 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.