Compare towns
Cornwall vs Nelson vs Sullivan 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 expensive homes ($458k median).
Nelson has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Sullivan has the most affordable homes ($237k 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 | Nelson | Sullivan | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
648Lowest |
687 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Highest 30% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
46.6±6.5 20% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Cornwall and Sullivan 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson 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% |
24.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Nelson 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% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$106,667±$20k 32% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Sullivan 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. |
$340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
$236,500±$29kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above 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. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$1,225±$275Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
| Sullivan and Nelson 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. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
$5,099Lowest 63% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±84.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 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% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Nelson 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 | Nelson School District | — | 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 |
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.