Compare towns
Strafford vs Eliot vs Mendon vs Tunbridge
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 highest household income ($111k).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Tunbridge has the youngest population (median age 42.7).
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 | Tunbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,372 |
7,146Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,253 |
| 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% |
+4.1% 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. |
42.7±8.3Lowest 10% 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% |
21.1%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±1.6Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.9%Lowest 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% |
3.6%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Tunbridge 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. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$89,464±$26kLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Eliot 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±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$315,300±$23kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Strafford 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. |
$1,346±$128 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$4,645 49% 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% |
76.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Tunbridge 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer 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. |
31 minHighest 16% above 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% |
25.8%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Tunbridge 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 | — | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| 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.