Compare towns
Middlebury vs Orleans vs Cornwall
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
Cornwall has the most homeowners (94.3%).
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 | Middlebury | Orleans | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,220Highest |
809Lowest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
41.7±5.8 3% below VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
| Cornwall and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$57,159±$10kLowest 30% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $417,400±$31k 32% above VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
| Middlebury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below VT |
31 minHighest 33% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest 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 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.