Compare towns
Cornwall vs Castleton vs Middlebury vs Salisbury
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 people working from home (24.4%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Castleton | Middlebury | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
4,453 |
7,220Highest |
1,200Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton 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 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Cornwall and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$417,400±$31k 32% above VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
| 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 9% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$4,842 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Cornwall 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
19 min 17% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
19 min 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.