Compare towns
Mendon vs Epping vs Middlebury vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Epping | Middlebury | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
7,430 |
9,175Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| 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%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Epping and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.