What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wheelock has the most affordable homes ($190k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wheelock	Mendon
People
Population	717Lowest	1,113Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	51±5.6Lowest 18% above VT	53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT
	Mendon and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9%	14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Wheelock and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4%	29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Wheelock and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%	49.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7%	3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
	Mendon and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,792±$20kLowest 20% below VT	$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT
	Mendon and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$189,600±$37kLowest 40% below VT	$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,230±$651 about the VT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,937Lowest 42% below VT	$5,342Highest 6% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4%
	Mendon and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest VT: 10.1%	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	92.2%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT	1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 17% above VT	17 minLowest 28% below VT
Work from home	21.1%±16Lowest VT: 16.9%	22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9%
	Mendon and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.