Compare towns
Cornish vs Westminster 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).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Westminster | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
2,999Highest |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Lowest 32% 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% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4Lowest 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% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 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. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% 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. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% 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. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 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 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| 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.