Compare towns
Brandon vs Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Derby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brandon has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Derby has the oldest population (median age 51.6).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Brandon | Cornwall | Middlebury | Derby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,120 |
1,208Lowest |
9,175Highest |
4,537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
51.6±2.1Highest 20% above VT |
| Derby and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Derby and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$80,250±$8k about the VT average |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$225,000±$10kLowest 29% 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 | $1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,096±$118 11% 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 | $4,241 16% below VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,449Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
45.8%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
7.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1976 same as VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
10.6%±3.5 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #52 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Derby School District · North Country Union Junior High School District |
| High school in town | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.