Compare towns
Strafford vs Kingston 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 kids (23% under 18).
Kingston has the most renters (25.6% rent).
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 | Kingston | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372 |
6,275Highest |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Lowest 32% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Mendon 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% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Mendon 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% |
24.7%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Kingston 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% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Kingston 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. |
$105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Kingston 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. |
$492,900±$58kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kingston 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. |
$1,393±$156Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Kingston and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149 129% above U.S. |
$7,906Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Kingston 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% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #78 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | Sanborn Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.