Compare towns
Cornwall vs Manchester vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Manchester has the oldest population (median age 54.5).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Manchester | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
4,486 |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.1% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
54.5±6.3Highest 26% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
| Manchester 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 VT: 17.9% |
16.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% VT: 43.8% |
47.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$94,886±$23k 17% above VT |
$86,250±$18kLowest 6% above VT |
| Cornwall and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$454,600±$47k 44% above VT |
$417,400±$31kLowest 32% above VT |
| Cornwall and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,057±$76Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
| Middlebury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 33% above VT |
$5,923Lowest 18% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.5%±13.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.8% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
14 minLowest 39% below VT |
15 min 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Manchester 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 | — | #37 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
VT 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.