Compare towns
Cornish vs Freedom vs Williston
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 the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Freedom has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Williston has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Freedom | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
1,494Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
60.6±3.2Highest 56% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Freedom and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
40.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$66,136±$14kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$389,000±$43k 17% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$3,478Lowest 12% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
79.6%±75Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freedom and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Freedom 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cornish School District | Freedom School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.