Compare towns
Mendon vs Strafford vs West Haven
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 people working from home (22.5%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
West Haven has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
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 | Strafford | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113 |
1,372Highest |
234Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
51.4±4.7Lowest 19% above VT |
54±10.5Highest 25% above VT |
| West Haven and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±13.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.9%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| West Haven and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±4.4Lowest 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 |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$85,250±$29kLowest 5% 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±$44k 13% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$245,000±$34kLowest 23% below VT |
| 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±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
— |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 6% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$4,485Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 8% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Strafford School District | — |
| High school 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.