Compare towns
Cornwall vs Barnet vs Norwich vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
Norwich has the most expensive homes ($638k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Barnet | Norwich | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,855 |
3,640 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
40.8±3.2 5% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Cornwall and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Norwich and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
16%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet 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% VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
81%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32k 41% above VT |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
$140,313±$12kHighest 73% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Norwich 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 45% above VT |
$247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
$637,500±$76kHighest 101% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,460±$322Highest 18% above VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Norwich and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 33% above VT |
$4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
$10,000+Highest at least 98% above VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9 VT: 48.4% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
2.8% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
71.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Norwich 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 | — | — | #1 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Norwich School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.