Compare towns
Mendon vs Temple 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Temple has the most renters (17.8% rent).
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 | Temple | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,363 |
1,372Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
49.5±7.3Lowest 27% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| 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%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford 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% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 25% above U.S. |
$94,107±$15kLowest 17% above 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±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$401,000±$27k 21% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,169±$523 17% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Temple 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. |
$6,983 124% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.2%±54.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Contoocook Valley School District | 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 |
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.