Compare towns
Bristol vs Cornwall vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($337k median).
Cornwall has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Bristol | Cornwall | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778 |
1,208Lowest |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
| Cornwall and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above 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 | $337,300±$46kLowest 7% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$417,400±$31k 32% above VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
| Bristol and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Lowest 19% above VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 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 | 10.1% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.