Compare towns
Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Putnam vs Whiting
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 the shortest commute (16 min average).
Putnam has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
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 | Putnam | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
9,175Highest |
540 |
532Lowest |
| 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. |
39.6±2.7 about the U.S. average |
| 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%±3 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting 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% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
35.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%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% |
6.2%±4 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. |
$91,250±$38k 13% 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. |
$280,400±$36k 16% 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±$113 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Middlebury 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. |
$4,227 36% 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% |
58.3%±37.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Whiting 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest 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% |
65.4% 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. |
1975 5 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. |
22 min 17% 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% |
10%±5.4 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— | — |
| 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.