Compare towns
Mendon vs Stowe vs Strafford
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 affordable homes ($357k median).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Stowe | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
5,285Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
46.3±7.6Lowest 7% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
| Mendon and Strafford 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% |
22.5%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Stowe 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% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford and Mendon 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 24% above VT |
$93,618±$33kLowest 15% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| 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±$44kLowest 13% above VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Stowe and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Lowest 6% above VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$7,149 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Strafford 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% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
19 min 18% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Stowe Town School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.