Compare towns
Cornwall vs Epping vs Middlebury vs Strafford
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%).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Epping | Middlebury | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
7,430 |
9,175Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Epping 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% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Strafford 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. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Epping 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. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Epping and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726Lowest 116% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Epping 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Epping School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
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.