Compare towns
Starks vs Jericho vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Jericho has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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.
| Measure | Starks | Jericho | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
5,114Highest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 20% above U.S. |
49.7±5.1Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Jericho and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Mercer and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mercer and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Jericho and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$116,923±$16kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$71,107±$2k 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$493,100±$38kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$238,500±$32k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,731±$111Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,422±$249 about the U.S. average |
| Jericho and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$7,318Highest 135% above U.S. |
$1,970 37% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
79.3%±52.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
18.5%±74Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jericho and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jericho and Mercer 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 | — | #6 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | — |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— |
| 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.