Compare towns
Middlebury vs Lancaster vs Cornwall
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Cornwall has the oldest population (median age 50.4).
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 | Middlebury | Lancaster | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
8,606 |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Cornwall 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. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868 120% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,726Lowest 116% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Cornwall 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Nashoba | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.