Compare towns
Cornwall vs Painted Post vs Strafford 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%).
Painted Post has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Painted Post | Strafford | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,824 |
1,372 |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
45.7±5.2 17% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$62,891±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18k 7% above U.S. |
| 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 38% above U.S. |
$155,900±$13kLowest 53% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$417,400±$31k 25% above U.S. |
| 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 20% below U.S. |
$839±$281Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,201±$120Highest 15% 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. |
$5,442Lowest 74% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,795 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.4%±18.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Painted Post 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% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
17 min 37% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4 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 | — | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Strafford School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.