Compare towns
Cornwall vs Townsend vs Middlebury vs Salisbury
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%).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k median).
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 | Townsend | Middlebury | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
9,100Highest |
7,220 |
1,200Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Cornwall 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% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Cornwall 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. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$417,400±$31k 25% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Cornwall and Townsend 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. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
| Townsend and Salisbury 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. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$6,795Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | North Middlesex | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.