Compare towns
Pomfret vs Strafford vs Mendon vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pomfret has the most people working from home (30.3%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Sharon has the youngest population (median age 45.6).
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 | Pomfret | Strafford | Mendon | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 908Lowest |
1,372 |
1,113 |
1,577Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±12.1Highest 24% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
45.6±7.7Lowest 6% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±6 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Pomfret and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 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 | $84,229±$8kLowest 4% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% 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 | $399,200±$144k 26% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$346,700±$37kLowest 10% above VT |
| Strafford and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$98 5% below VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,722 33% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$5,342Lowest 6% above VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24%±22.4 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest 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 | 5.8% VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
23 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 30.3%±10.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Pomfret and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Strafford School District | — | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.