What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mendon has the most expensive homes ($357k median).

Sheffield has the most kids (34.7% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mendon	Sheffield
People
Population	1,113Highest	190Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT	32.5±2.3Lowest 25% below VT
Kids under 18	14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9%	34.7%±13.7Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4%	13.2%±14Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.4%Highest VT: 43.8%	16.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	2.1%±5.8Lowest VT: 7%
	Mendon and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT	$65,795±$12kLowest 19% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT	$122,700±$70kLowest 61% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average	$1,219±$563Lowest about the VT average
	Mendon and Sheffield 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	$1,714Lowest 66% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4%	36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Mendon and Sheffield 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%	8.9%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	85.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 28% below VT	21 minHighest 12% below VT
Work from home	22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9%	8.6%±6.3Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Mendon and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.