Compare towns
Cornwall vs Cavendish vs Bridgewater 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 highest household income ($115k).
Cavendish has the oldest housing (typical home built 1968).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Cavendish | Bridgewater | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,242 |
980Lowest |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
| Bridgewater and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Cavendish 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% |
23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater 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% |
39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.3% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
| Cornwall and Cavendish 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 |
$285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$417,400±$31k 32% above 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±$206 9% below VT |
$1,000±$546 19% below VT |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
| Middlebury and Cornwall 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 |
$3,948 22% below VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Bridgewater 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% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 min 21% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 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 | — | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.