Compare towns

Cornwall vs Strafford vs Windham 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%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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.

MeasureCornwallStraffordWindhamMiddlebury
People
Population
1,208Lowest
1,372
19,188Highest
9,175
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50.4±4.6
30% above U.S.
51.4±4.7Highest
32% above U.S.
41.8±1.8
7% above U.S.
31.8±3.7Lowest
18% 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%
23%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±2.7
U.S.: 22%
11.6%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Strafford and Windham 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%
22.1%±3.4
U.S.: 17.2%
15.9%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±2.6
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%
53.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
44.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
55.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
32.6%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$114,583±$32kHighest
42% above U.S.
$110,833±$19k
37% above U.S.
$107,934±$14k
34% above U.S.
$86,169±$16kLowest
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.
$431,300±$40k
30% above U.S.
$388,900±$22kLowest
17% above U.S.
$409,700±$30k
23% 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±$206Lowest
20% below U.S.
$1,125±$789Lowest
20% below U.S.
$1,232±$332Highest
13% below U.S.
$1,156±$113
18% below U.S.
Windham and Middlebury 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.
$7,149Highest
129% above U.S.
$3,938Lowest
26% above U.S.
$6,868
120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
61.9%±65.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.6%±48
U.S.: 51.1%
32.7%±14.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.9%±14.4
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%
5.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
10.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
88.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
84.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
65.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
11% below U.S.
23 min
13% below U.S.
26 minHighest
about the U.S. average
16 minLowest
41% below U.S.
Work from home
24.4%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.1%±4.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
18.8%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
Cornwall and Windham 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 — — #95 of 133 in ME #17 of 70 in VT
School district Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 Strafford School District RSU 14 Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town None in town None in town Windham High School Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
12.1Lowest
12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet None yet

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.