Compare towns
Strafford vs Eliot vs Mendon vs Cornwall
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 kids (23% under 18).
Eliot has the most renters (20.2% rent).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
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 | Eliot | Mendon | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,372 |
7,146Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6Lowest 30% 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% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Cornwall 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% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Cornwall 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. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$6,726 116% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Mendon 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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 |
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.