Compare towns
Sharon vs Sutton vs Mendon 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
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
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 | Sharon | Sutton | Mendon | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,577 |
2,239Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% 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 | 21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$37kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903 89% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest 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 | 3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Sharon School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.