Compare towns
Cornwall vs Lancaster 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%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Lancaster | Middlebury | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
8,606Highest |
7,220 |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Strafford 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% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Lancaster 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. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$417,400±$31kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Lancaster 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. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726Lowest 116% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,795 118% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Cornwall 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Nashoba | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 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.