Compare towns
Cornwall vs Exeter vs Lincoln 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 people working from home (24.4%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lincoln has the most affordable homes ($365k 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 | Exeter | Lincoln | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,394 |
7,220 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Highest 30% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.7±3.6 17% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Cornwall and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cornwall and Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Exeter 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% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$96,667±$18k 20% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$365,200±$30kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$417,400±$31k 25% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206 20% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$870±$47Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,100Lowest 96% above U.S. |
$6,795 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.1%±25.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Exeter 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% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lincoln Town School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.