Compare towns
Mendon vs Walden vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Walden has the youngest population (median age 48.8).
Wells has the most kids (15.1% 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 | Walden | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113 |
1,037Lowest |
1,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
48.8±3.2Lowest 13% above VT |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
| Mendon and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wells and Mendon 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% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden 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±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below VT |
| Mendon and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Mendon 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 |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Wells 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% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.