Compare towns
Cornwall vs Acton vs Salisbury vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Acton has the most expensive homes ($807k median).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Cornwall | Acton | Salisbury | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
24,155Highest |
1,200Lowest |
7,220 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Acton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$158,230±$14kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Acton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$417,400±$31k 25% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
$1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
| Acton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,795 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 282 in MA | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Acton-Boxborough | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.