Compare towns

Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Townsend

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%).
Townsend has the most kids (21% 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.

MeasureCornwallMiddleburyTownsend
People
Population
1,208Lowest
9,175Highest
9,100
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50.4±4.6Highest
30% above U.S.
31.8±3.7Lowest
18% below U.S.
40.9±3.3
5% above U.S.
Kids under 18
18.7%±3
U.S.: 22%
11.6%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
Townsend and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
25.7%±6.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
17.1%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
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%
U.S.: 35.7%
55.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
35.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
32.6%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$114,583±$32k
42% above U.S.
$86,169±$16kLowest
7% above U.S.
$121,528±$23kHighest
51% above U.S.
Townsend and Cornwall 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±$30kLowest
23% above U.S.
$433,200±$22k
30% above U.S.
Cornwall and Townsend 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.
$1,469±$313Highest
4% above U.S.
Townsend 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.
$6,031Lowest
93% 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%
50.6%±16.8Lowest
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%
8.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
65.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
11% below U.S.
16 minLowest
41% below U.S.
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
Work from home
24.4%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.8%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8Lowest
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 #136 of 282 in MA
School district Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 North Middlesex
High school in town None in town Middlebury Union High School North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.6Lowest
13.1Highest
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.