Compare towns
Mendon vs Exeter vs Strafford vs Cornwall
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
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 | Exeter | Strafford | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,372 |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% 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%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Cornwall 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Cornwall 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| 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 7% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Exeter 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. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$6,726 116% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Strafford School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.