Compare towns
Middlebury vs Thetford 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%).
Thetford has the most affordable homes ($330k median).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
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 | Thetford | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,220Highest |
2,813 |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.2% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
43.6±6.2 about the VT average |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
| Cornwall and Thetford 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% |
15.4%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±6 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.9% VT: 43.8% |
68%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
6.7%±4.5 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,250±$18kLowest 6% above VT |
$88,045±$16k 8% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
| Cornwall and Thetford 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 |
$329,500±$96kLowest 4% above 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 |
$1,141±$96 8% below VT |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
| Middlebury and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,795 35% above VT |
$6,948Highest 38% above VT |
$6,726Lowest 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
49.7%±30.1Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.1% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
13.6%±6.3Lowest 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 | #40 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Thetford School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.