Compare towns
Cornwall vs Lowell vs Mendon 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 highest household income ($115k).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Mendon has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
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 | Lowell | Mendon | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
118,368Highest |
1,113Lowest |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Mendon 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% |
21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lowell 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% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon 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% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Mendon 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. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Lowell 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. |
$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
| Lowell and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
17 min 36% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Mendon 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 | — | #255 of 282 in MA | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lowell | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Lowell High | — | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
| 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.