Compare towns
Strafford vs Bath 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
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Strafford | Bath | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372Highest |
1,097Lowest |
1,113 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
48.6±8.6Lowest 25% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% 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 | 23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$67,813±$22kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$234,400±$23kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,438±$309Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Bath and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,413Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
5.9%±61.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest 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 | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest 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 | Strafford School District | Bath School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.