Compare towns
Cornwall vs Orleans vs Strafford 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 people working from home (24.4%).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
Strafford 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 | Orleans | Strafford | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
809Lowest |
1,372 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
41.7±5.8 3% below VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Strafford 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 VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford 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% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Strafford 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% |
24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$57,159±$10kLowest 30% below VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Cornwall and Strafford 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 |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
$1,125±$789 9% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
| 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 33% above VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 33% above VT |
23 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 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 | — | Strafford 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 Our Story | 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.