Compare towns
Bristol vs Cornwall vs Salisbury
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 renters (28.7% rent).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
1,208 |
1,200Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Lowest 11% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Cornwall and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181 3% above VT |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978 19% above VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Bristol 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 | — | — |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.