What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).

South Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Cornish	South Burlington
People
Population	1,816Lowest	20,756Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+13.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S.	38.2±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	19%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	South Burlington and Cornish 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%	17.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	67.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S.	$106,667±$13kHighest 32% above U.S.
	South Burlington and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S.	$443,400±$19kHighest 33% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S.	$1,787±$59Highest 26% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,796Lowest 86% above U.S.	$6,674Highest 114% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	42.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	South Burlington 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%	7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	61.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Lowest same as U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 8% below U.S.	18 minLowest 33% below U.S.
Work from home	12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#12 of 70 in VT
School district	Cornish School District	South Burlington School District
High school in town	None in town	South Burlington High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.0
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.