Compare towns
Cavendish vs Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the most affordable homes ($285k median).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Cavendish | Cornwall | Middlebury | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
1,208Lowest |
7,220Highest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Cornwall and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$84,375±$17kLowest 4% above VT |
| Cornwall and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 10% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$417,400±$31k 32% above VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% 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 | $1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest 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 | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.