Compare towns

Cornish vs Hartford vs St. Albans vs White River Junction

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 homeowners (94.1%).
Hartford has the most expensive homes ($305k median).
St. Albans has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).

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.

MeasureCornishHartfordSt. AlbansWhite River Junction
People
Population
1,816Lowest
10,736Highest
6,954
3,364
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
54±8.3Highest
39% above U.S.
43.2±3.9
11% above U.S.
38.7±2
about the U.S. average
33.7±3.2Lowest
13% below U.S.
Cornish and Hartford 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%±3
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.1%±5
U.S.: 22%
St. Albans and Hartford 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%
22.5%±3.3
U.S.: 17.2%
13.9%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
12.5%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Cornish and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
40.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
47.6%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
31.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
38.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.4%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±1.7Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.7%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
1.2%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Hartford and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,821±$2kHighest
14% above U.S.
$78,125±$7k
3% below U.S.
$57,980±$7kLowest
28% below U.S.
$77,168±$4k
4% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$296,000±$69k
11% below U.S.
$304,500±$26kHighest
8% below U.S.
$263,400±$18kLowest
21% below U.S.
$278,800±$78k
16% below U.S.
Hartford and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,221±$227
14% below U.S.
$1,218±$118
14% below U.S.
$1,150±$78Lowest
19% below U.S.
$1,222±$216Highest
14% below U.S.
White River Junction and Cornish 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.
$5,773
85% above U.S.
$4,436Lowest
42% above U.S.
$5,651
81% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
40.5%±38.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.6%±12.7
U.S.: 51.1%
51.8%±11.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.9%±17.3
U.S.: 51.1%
St. Albans and Hartford 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%
11.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
19.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
49%
U.S.: 65.2%
43.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980Highest
same as U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1945Lowest
35 yrs older than U.S.
1963
17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
8% below U.S.
18 min
30% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
15 minLowest
42% below U.S.
Work from home
12%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.9%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
12.1%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
15.7%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
White River Junction and Hartford 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 — #34 of 70 in VT #46 of 70 in VT —
School district Cornish School District Hartford School District Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 —
High school in town None in town Hartford High School Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) —
Students per teacherat that high school —
9.6Lowest
11.4Highest
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 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.