Compare towns
Mendon vs Middlebury vs Upton 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 most affordable homes ($357k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
North Hero has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.9%).
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 | Upton | North Hero |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
9,175Highest |
8,189 |
1,263 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% 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%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and North Hero 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% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest 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% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$102,143±$24k 27% above U.S. |
| Upton and North Hero 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. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$451,400±$66k 36% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,556±$360Highest 10% above U.S. |
| North Hero and Mendon 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. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,132Lowest 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.4%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Mendon 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Champlain Islands Unified Union School District #66 |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.