Compare towns
Barton vs Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Wells River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Cornwall has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Barton | Cornwall | Middlebury | Wells River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 730 |
1,208 |
7,220Highest |
340Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40±5.5 7% below VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
| Cornwall and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8k 50% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$417,400±$31k 32% above VT |
$170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$900±$336 27% below VT |
| Middlebury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$4,154 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8% VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.