Compare towns
Middlebury vs Epping vs Cornwall vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($337k median).
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 | Middlebury | Epping | Cornwall | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
7,430 |
1,208Lowest |
3,778 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6Highest 30% above U.S. |
47.9±4.8 23% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$74,620±$8kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Cornwall and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$337,300±$46kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Cornwall and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,275±$181 10% below U.S. |
| Epping and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868 120% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$6,726 116% above U.S. |
$5,978Lowest 92% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | — | #31 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Epping School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | Epping High School | None in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— | 11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.