Compare towns
Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Northfield
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 oldest population (median age 50.4).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Middlebury | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
9,175Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
36.4±4.1 16% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Northfield 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% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury 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 |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$274,400±$21kLowest 13% below VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury 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 |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
| 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 |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,878Lowest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield 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 VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury 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 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.