Compare towns
Mendon vs Rochester vs Ripton
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Rochester | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113 |
1,389Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Ripton 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% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton 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 |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton 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 about the VT average |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
— |
| Mendon and Rochester 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 |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.