Compare towns
Windsor 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
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
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 | Windsor | Dover | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,554Highest |
1,466 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.5Lowest 4% 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 | 19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.8Lowest 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 | $52,484±$11k 35% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $207,500±$31kLowest 34% 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 | $1,026±$89 17% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
| Mendon and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,209 3% above VT |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.5%±17Lowest 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 | 7.8% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 3% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #61 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — |
| High school 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.