Compare towns
Cornwall vs Orange vs Wells 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 highest household income ($115k).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
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 | Orange | Wells | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
957Lowest |
1,148 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
50.3±5.3 17% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Wells and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.6%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Orange 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% |
19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Wells 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% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$71,302±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| 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 45% above VT |
$222,000±$22kLowest 30% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
$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 |
$1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Orange and Wells 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 |
$3,545 30% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
7.6% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.8% VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
28 min 19% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None 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.