Compare towns
Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Townsend vs Middlebury
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 most affordable homes ($410k median).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Townsend | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
9,175Highest |
9,100 |
7,220 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Highest 30% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7 18% below U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest 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% |
19.8%±2.6 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest 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. |
$86,250±$18k 7% 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. |
$417,400±$31k 25% 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. |
$1,201±$120 15% below 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. |
$6,795 118% 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% |
56.6%±15.8 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
16 min 41% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below 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% |
19.1%±4.4 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #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 | 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 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.