Compare towns
Cornwall vs Exeter vs Reading 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%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Exeter | Reading | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
16,151Highest |
699Lowest |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Reading 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 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cornwall and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% 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% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 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. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% 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. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,754Lowest 84% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading 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% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Reading 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.