Compare towns
Cornwall vs Middlesex vs Plainfield vs Middlebury
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 most expensive homes ($458k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Middlesex | Plainfield | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,943 |
1,314 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Cornwall and Plainfield 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Plainfield 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% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$109,632±$13k 35% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Cornwall and Middlesex 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 |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$409,700±$30k 29% 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 |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Middlesex and Middlebury 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 |
$6,483 29% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield 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% |
3.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Cornwall 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School |
| 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.