What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).

North Windham has the youngest population (median age 42).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mendon	North Windham
People
Population	1,113Lowest	5,417Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S.	42±3Lowest 8% above U.S.
	Mendon and North Windham 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%	16.6%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22%
	North Windham and Mendon 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%	18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	North Windham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,524±$23kHighest 25% above U.S.	$88,522±$8kLowest 10% above U.S.
	Mendon and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,000±$44kHighest 7% above U.S.	$342,800±$29kLowest 3% above U.S.
	Mendon and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,230±$651Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,248±$604Highest 12% below U.S.
	North Windham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,342Highest 71% above U.S.	$3,546Lowest 14% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	30.7%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 36% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	20.9%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Mendon and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.