Compare towns

Cornwall vs Stoneham vs Middlebury vs Strafford

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 homeowners (94.3%).
Stoneham has the most expensive homes ($672k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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.

MeasureCornwallStonehamMiddleburyStrafford
People
Population
1,208Lowest
23,355Highest
7,220
1,372
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50.4±4.6
30% above U.S.
42.2±2.2
8% above U.S.
23.7±1.3Lowest
39% below U.S.
51.4±4.7Highest
32% above 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%
20.8%±2.5
U.S.: 22%
8.5%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
Strafford and Stoneham 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%
20.4%±2.2
U.S.: 17.2%
19.8%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
22.1%±3.4
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%
55.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
61.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
53.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.7%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
40.9%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$114,583±$32kHighest
42% above U.S.
$113,964±$10k
41% above U.S.
$86,250±$18kLowest
7% above U.S.
$110,833±$19k
37% above U.S.
Cornwall and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$458,000±$49k
38% above U.S.
$671,900±$26kHighest
102% above U.S.
$417,400±$31kLowest
25% above U.S.
$431,300±$40k
30% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,125±$206Lowest
20% below U.S.
$2,035±$142Highest
44% above U.S.
$1,201±$120
15% below U.S.
$1,125±$789Lowest
20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,726
116% above U.S.
$6,523Lowest
109% above U.S.
$6,795
118% above U.S.
$7,149Highest
129% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
61.9%±65.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.9%±8.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
56.6%±15.8
U.S.: 51.1%
44.6%±48
U.S.: 51.1%
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
U.S.: 12.5%
5.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
15.2%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
71%
U.S.: 65.2%
56.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
88.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1964Lowest
16 yrs older than U.S.
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
1980Highest
same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
11% below U.S.
28 minHighest
5% above U.S.
15 minLowest
45% below U.S.
23 min
13% below U.S.
Work from home
24.4%±6.6
U.S.: 15.1%
24.6%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.1%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
16.1%±4.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Stoneham and Cornwall 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 — #117 of 282 in MA #17 of 70 in VT —
School district Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 Stoneham — Strafford School District
High school in town None in town Stoneham High — None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.7
— —
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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.