Compare towns
Mendon vs Salisbury vs Windham vs Strafford
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 most people working from home (22.5%).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k median).
Windham has the oldest population (median age 56.5).
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 | Salisbury | Windham | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,200 |
1,432Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Lowest 30% above U.S. |
56.5±5.1Highest 45% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Windham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$76,477±$17kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$315,600±$74k 5% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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 13% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$850±$295Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 71% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
$3,363Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.9%±35.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Windham 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 |
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.