Compare towns
Sutton vs Strafford 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
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
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 | Sutton | Strafford | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,239Highest |
1,372 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% 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 | 20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest 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+ | 21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest 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 | $130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% 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 | $362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% 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 | $7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 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 | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Strafford School District | — |
| High school 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 |
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.