Compare towns
Mendon vs Salem vs Chittenden
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Salem has the most expensive homes ($543k median).
Chittenden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Salem | Chittenden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
44,795Highest |
1,318 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.8±6.3 31% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Chittenden 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% |
15.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Salem 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% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$106,250±$28kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Chittenden 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 7% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$346,800±$35kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,125±$488Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Salem and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$5,346 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.8%±55.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Salem 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% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Salem 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Salem | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 |
| High school in town | — | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.