Compare towns
Mendon vs Middlebury vs Olean vs Chittenden
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 31.8).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Chittenden has the highest household income ($106k).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Olean | Chittenden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
9,175 |
13,738Highest |
1,318 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
50.8±6.3 31% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Chittenden 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% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$106,250±$28kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Chittenden 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±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$346,800±$35k 4% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Mendon 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. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,125±$488 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 | $5,342 71% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,346 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.8%±55.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Olean 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% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below U.S. |
16 min 41% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±3.6 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 | #337 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
12.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.