Compare towns
Bethel vs Cornwall vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most affordable homes ($238k median).
Cornwall has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Bethel | Cornwall | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Highest |
1,208Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
50.4±4.6Lowest 17% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| Strafford and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7kLowest 7% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Bethel and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Lowest about the VT average |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.