Compare towns
Cornwall vs Dedham vs Needham 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%).
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Dedham | Needham | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
25,237 |
32,459Highest |
7,220 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Highest 30% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Cornwall and Dedham 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% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$417,400±$31kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726Lowest 116% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,795 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Dedham | Needham | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | Needham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
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| 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.