Compare towns
Northfield vs Windham vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Northfield | Windham | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,920 |
16,038Highest |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #42 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Windham School District | — |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.