Compare towns

Cornwall vs Northbridge vs Mendon 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%).
Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Mendon has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
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.

MeasureCornwallNorthbridgeMendonMiddlebury
People
Population
1,208
16,458Highest
1,113Lowest
9,175
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50.4±4.6
30% above U.S.
43.8±2.6
13% above U.S.
53.4±10.5Highest
37% above U.S.
31.8±3.7Lowest
18% below U.S.
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
U.S.: 22%
21.1%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
14.6%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
11.6%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Northbridge and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
25.7%±6.1
U.S.: 17.2%
16.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
29%±1.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
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%
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
49.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
55.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±3.1
U.S.: 6.4%
4.3%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
3.1%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
32.6%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$114,583±$32kHighest
42% above U.S.
$111,319±$19k
38% above U.S.
$100,524±$23k
25% above U.S.
$86,169±$16kLowest
7% above U.S.
Cornwall and Northbridge 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.
$448,600±$15k
35% above U.S.
$357,000±$44kLowest
7% above U.S.
$409,700±$30k
23% above U.S.
Cornwall and Northbridge 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.
$1,207±$102
15% below U.S.
$1,230±$651Highest
13% below U.S.
$1,156±$113
18% below U.S.
Mendon and Northbridge 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.
$4,821Lowest
55% above U.S.
$5,342
71% above U.S.
$6,868Highest
120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
61.9%±65.5
U.S.: 51.1%
51.2%±9.8
U.S.: 51.1%
88.6%±42.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.9%±14.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
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
U.S.: 12.5%
7.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
10.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
70.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
92.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
65.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1973Lowest
7 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
11% below U.S.
31 minHighest
17% above U.S.
17 min
36% below U.S.
16 minLowest
41% below U.S.
Work from home
24.4%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.2%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.5%±8.9
U.S.: 15.1%
18.8%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
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 — #226 of 282 in MA — #17 of 70 in VT
School district Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 Northbridge — Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town None in town Northbridge High — Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.8Lowest
—
12.6Highest
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.