Compare towns
Chittenden vs Cornwall vs Dorset vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chittenden has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Dorset has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Strafford has the most renters (11.1% rent).
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 | Chittenden | Cornwall | Dorset | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,318 |
1,208Lowest |
2,092Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.8±6.3 18% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
45.9±7.5Lowest 6% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| Strafford and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,250±$28kLowest 31% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$111,250±$40k 37% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
| Cornwall and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,800±$35kLowest 10% above VT |
$458,000±$49k 45% above VT |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$488Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Dorset and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,346Lowest 6% above VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$7,149 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 8% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15%±3.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.