Compare towns
Strafford vs Sunapee 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).
Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% 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 | Sunapee | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372 |
3,416Highest |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Lowest 32% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
| Sunapee 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% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest 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% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Mendon 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% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Sunapee 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. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Sunapee 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. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Sunapee 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. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Sunapee 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. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest 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% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest 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 | — | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | Sunapee School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.