Compare towns
Strafford vs Sutton 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).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
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 | Sutton | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372 |
2,239Highest |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% 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% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Sutton 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.