Compare towns
Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Starksboro vs Mendon
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 highest household income ($115k).
Middlebury has the most renters (34.9% rent).
Starksboro has the most kids (26.4% under 18).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Starksboro | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
9,175Highest |
1,939 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
-1.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
38.2±4.8 11% below VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.4%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
17.4%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$82,188±$15kLowest about the VT average |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
| 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 45% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$287,700±$42kLowest 9% below VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above 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±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,306±$91Highest 6% above VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
| Starksboro and Mendon 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 |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
28.6%±26.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
91.3% VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
29 minHighest 24% above VT |
17 min 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | #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 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — |
| 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 | 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.