Compare towns
Mendon vs Peru vs Ripton 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%).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Peru | Ripton | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113 |
434Lowest |
508 |
1,372Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above 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%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 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%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23kLowest 24% above VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton 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 |
$400,000±$105k 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
— | $1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Peru and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 6% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Ripton 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% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.