Compare towns

Cornwall vs Durham 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 kids (18.7% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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.

MeasureCornwallDurhamMiddlebury
People
Population
1,208Lowest
15,080Highest
9,175
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50.4±4.6Highest
30% above U.S.
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
31.8±3.7
18% below U.S.
Kids under 18
18.7%±3Highest
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
11.6%±1.9
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
25.7%±6.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Cornwall and Middlebury 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%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
55.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
32.6%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$114,583±$32k
42% above U.S.
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
$86,169±$16kLowest
7% above U.S.
Durham 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
38% above U.S.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
$409,700±$30kLowest
23% above U.S.
Durham and Cornwall 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.
$1,429±$143Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,156±$113
18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,726Lowest
116% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$6,868
120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
61.9%±65.5
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.9%±14.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham 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
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
10.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
65.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
11% below U.S.
19 min
27% below U.S.
16 minLowest
41% below U.S.
Work from home
24.4%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
18.8%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Cornwall and Durham 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 — #9 of 120 in NH #17 of 70 in VT
School district Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 Oyster River Coop School District Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town None in town Oyster River High School Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.3Lowest
12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 51 photos → 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.