What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).

Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).

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	Waltham
People
Population	1,113Highest	452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	53.4±10.5Lowest 24% above VT	60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT
	Waltham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9%	12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Mendon and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4%	45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.4%Highest VT: 43.8%	39%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.1 VT: 7%	3.1%±2.1 VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT	$97,500±$14kLowest 20% above VT
	Mendon and Waltham 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	$329,700±$51kLowest 4% above VT
	Mendon and Waltham 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	$1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT
	Mendon and Waltham 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	$5,714Highest 13% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4%	29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Mendon and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest VT: 10.1%	5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	86.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 28% below VT	28 minHighest 18% above VT
Work from home	22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9%	20.6%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Mendon and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.