Compare towns
Cornish vs Salisbury vs Westminster
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 oldest population (median age 54).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Salisbury | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
1,609Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Lowest 32% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Westminster 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% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Westminster 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% |
24.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Cornish 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% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Cornish 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% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Salisbury 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 | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cornish School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.