Compare towns
Brighton vs Cornish vs Rockingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Brighton | Cornish | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167Lowest |
1,816 |
4,807Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
46.4±2.6 19% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Rockingham and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockingham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rockingham and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$70,857±$16k 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$210,900±$14k 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,062±$101 25% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,887 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rockingham and Brighton 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 | — | — | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Brighton School District | Cornish School District | Rockingham 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 |
U.S. 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.