Compare towns
Cornwall vs Whiting vs Middlebury vs Strafford
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 people working from home (24.4%).
Whiting has the most affordable homes ($280k median).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
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.
| Measure | Cornwall | Whiting | Middlebury | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
532Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
— | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
| 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 45% above VT |
$280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
| 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 9% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Whiting and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 33% above VT |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Whiting 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% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
22 min 7% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.