Compare towns
Cornwall vs Bethlehem vs Middlebury vs Chittenden
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 expensive homes ($458k median).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Chittenden has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Bethlehem | Middlebury | Chittenden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
2,537 |
9,175Highest |
1,318 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
50.8±6.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Chittenden and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Cornwall and Bethlehem 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% |
28.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bethlehem 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% |
45.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,029±$18kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$106,250±$28k 32% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$288,300±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
$346,800±$35k 4% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,125±$488Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Middlebury 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. |
$5,418 74% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$5,346Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.8%±55.7Lowest 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% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem and Cornwall 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 | — | #34 of 120 in NH | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 |
| High school in town | None in town | Profile Senior High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.