Compare towns
Cornish vs Castleton vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% 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 | Cornish | Castleton | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
4,453Highest |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,360 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brighton and Cornish 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Brighton 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.