Compare towns
Cornwall vs Salisbury vs Benson
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 expensive homes ($458k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Benson has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | Salisbury | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Highest |
1,200 |
784Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Lowest 17% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
51.9±9.4Highest 20% above VT |
| Benson and Salisbury 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% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
32.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
7%±5.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Benson and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$78,625±$8kLowest 3% below VT |
| Cornwall and Salisbury 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 |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$242,000±$26kLowest 24% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,113±$170Lowest 10% below VT |
| Salisbury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$4,842 4% below VT |
$4,125Lowest 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.4%±35.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Benson 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% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
5.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
32 minHighest 35% above VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.