Compare towns
Mendon vs Middlebury vs Pendleton 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 people working from home (22.5%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Pendleton has the most affordable homes ($294k median).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Middlebury | Pendleton | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
7,220Highest |
7,034 |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
46.7±4.1 20% 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%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Pendleton 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% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$113,750±$27kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Pendleton 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±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$417,400±$31k 25% above U.S. |
$294,300±$39kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
$994±$119Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Middlebury 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. |
$6,795 118% above U.S. |
$6,623 112% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Middlebury 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% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1% 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. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Middlebury 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #67 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | — | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | — | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 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.