Compare towns
Cornwall vs Olean vs Amsterdam 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 highest household income ($115k).
Olean has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
Amsterdam has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Olean | Amsterdam | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,664 |
18,166Highest |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
39.5±1.2 about the U.S. average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Olean 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% |
15.6%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amsterdam 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% |
25.2%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Olean 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% |
23.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
$56,178±$8kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Middlebury 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. |
$158,600±$17k 52% below U.S. |
$137,900±$11kLowest 59% 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±$206 20% below U.S. |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,006±$45 29% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Cornwall 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. |
$4,027Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$4,369 40% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.4%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Olean 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% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 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 | — | #337 of 484 in NY | #474 of 484 in NY | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | AMSTERDAM CITY 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 | 6 photos → | 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.