Compare towns
Mendon vs Lyme 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Lyme | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,710Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Lowest 25% above 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%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Lyme 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% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Lyme 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% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Lyme 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. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Lyme 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. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Lyme 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lyme 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Lyme School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.