Compare towns
Cornish vs St. Albans vs Salisbury
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).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | St. Albans | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
6,954Highest |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Salisbury 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% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Salisbury 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% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Salisbury 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% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| St. Albans 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. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above 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. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above 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. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and St. Albans 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 | — | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.

