Compare towns

Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Putnam

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%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($266k 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.

MeasureCornwallMiddleburyPutnam
People
Population
1,208
9,175Highest
540Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-6.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50.4±4.6
30% above U.S.
31.8±3.7Lowest
18% below U.S.
53.6±6.4Highest
38% above U.S.
Putnam 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
U.S.: 22%
11.6%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.4%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
Cornwall and Putnam 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%
20.7%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
35.6%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
54.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
55.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
31.4%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±3.1
U.S.: 6.4%
32.6%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.8%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$114,583±$32kHighest
42% above U.S.
$86,169±$16kLowest
7% above U.S.
$92,344±$14k
14% above U.S.
Cornwall and Putnam 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.
$409,700±$30k
23% above U.S.
$266,200±$48kLowest
20% below U.S.
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±$206Lowest
20% below U.S.
$1,156±$113Highest
18% below U.S.
—
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
116% above U.S.
$6,868Highest
120% above U.S.
$3,674Lowest
18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
61.9%±65.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.9%±14.4
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±100Lowest
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%
10.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
65.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
95.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1971Lowest
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
11% below U.S.
16 minLowest
41% below U.S.
21 min
19% below U.S.
Work from home
24.4%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.8%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
8.6%±5.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
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 —
School district Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 PUTNAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town None in town Middlebury Union High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.6
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.