Compare towns
Wallingford vs Dover vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wallingford has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Mendon has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Wallingford | Dover | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,286Highest |
1,466 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±10.8Lowest 6% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
| Dover and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Wallingford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Mendon and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,230±$15k about the VT average |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
| Mendon and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,900±$44kLowest 17% below VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
| Mendon and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $891±$95 28% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
| Mendon and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,355Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.