Compare towns
Mendon vs Gorham vs Strafford vs North Hero
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).
Gorham has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
North Hero has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.9%).
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 | Gorham | Strafford | North Hero |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,372 |
1,263 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
54.2±6.7Highest 39% above U.S. |
| North Hero and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Gorham 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and North Hero 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% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$102,143±$24k 27% above U.S. |
| Gorham 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. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$451,400±$66k 36% above U.S. |
| Gorham and North Hero 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. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,556±$360 10% above U.S. |
| Gorham and North Hero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 71% above U.S. |
$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$5,132 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±98.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and North Hero 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.4%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Gorham 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | Strafford School District | Champlain Islands Unified Union School District #66 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.