Compare towns
Mendon vs Middlebury vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
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).
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 | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
7,220Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$86,250±$18kLowest 6% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kLowest 13% above VT |
$417,400±$31k 32% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| 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 about the VT average |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| 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 6% above VT |
$6,795 35% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 28% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — |
| School district | — | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.