Compare towns

Strafford vs Sutton vs Whiting 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).
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
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.

MeasureStraffordSuttonWhitingMendon
People
Population
1,372
2,239Highest
532Lowest
1,113
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±4.1
24% above U.S.
39.6±2.7Lowest
about the U.S. average
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%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±3.8
U.S.: 22%
23.5%±6.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
14.6%±5.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Whiting and Strafford 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%±5.9
U.S.: 17.2%
13%±5.1Lowest
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%
U.S.: 35.7%
25.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
49.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±3.6
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.1%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Whiting and Strafford 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.
$91,250±$38kLowest
13% above U.S.
$100,524±$23k
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.
$280,400±$36kLowest
16% below U.S.
$357,000±$44k
7% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,125±$789Lowest
20% below U.S.
$1,656±$614Highest
17% above U.S.
$1,204±$519
15% below 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.
$4,227Lowest
36% above U.S.
$5,342
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%
58.3%±37.3
U.S.: 51.1%
88.6%±42.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Mendon and Whiting 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%
11.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
65.4%Lowest
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.
1975
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.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
22 min
17% below U.S.
17 minLowest
36% below U.S.
Work from home
16.1%±4.3
U.S.: 15.1%
14.8%±5.6
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±5.4Lowest
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 Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 —
High school in town None in town Kearsarge Regional High School None in town —
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.4
— —
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.