Compare towns
Cornwall vs Worcester 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 people working from home (24.4%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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.
| Measure | Cornwall | Worcester | Middlebury | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
207,055Highest |
7,220 |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5 13% below 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% |
19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Worcester 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% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 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% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8 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. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$86,250±$18k 7% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% 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. |
$374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$417,400±$31k 25% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% 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. |
$1,487±$38Highest 5% 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. |
$4,733Lowest 52% 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% |
54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 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. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 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 | — | #266 of 282 in MA | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | South High Community | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6 |
— | — |
| 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.