Compare towns
Cornwall vs Kittery 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 people working from home (24.4%).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
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 | Kittery | Middlebury | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
10,473Highest |
9,175 |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% 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% |
14.7%±2.9 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%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery 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% |
46%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% |
4.5%±1.5 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. |
$93,728±$14k 16% 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±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Kittery 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. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 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% |
6.4% 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% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below 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% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Kittery 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 | — | #17 of 133 in ME | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Kittery Public Schools | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
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.