Compare towns
Mendon vs Plainfield vs Randolph vs North Hero
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%).
Plainfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
North Hero has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.9%).
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 | Plainfield | Randolph | North Hero |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,314 |
4,843Highest |
1,263 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+16.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
54.2±6.7Highest 26% above VT |
| 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%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Randolph 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 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
5.5%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$102,143±$24kHighest 26% above VT |
| North Hero 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 13% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$278,700±$38kLowest 12% below VT |
$451,400±$66kHighest 43% above VT |
| North Hero and Mendon 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 |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,556±$360Highest 26% above VT |
| North Hero and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$4,698Lowest 7% below VT |
$5,132 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±98.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Plainfield 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% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
21 min 12% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.4%±8.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Plainfield 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 | — | — | #55 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Islands Unified Union School District #66 |
| High school in town | — | — | Randolph Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.4 |
— |
| 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.