Compare towns
Middlebury vs Wells 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 the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
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 | Wells | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175 |
11,713Highest |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
| Wells and Cornwall 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%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cornwall and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Cornwall 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% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Wells 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. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
| Wells 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. |
$1,350±$297Highest 4% below U.S. |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Wells and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,726 116% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Highest 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 | 10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest 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. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest 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 | #17 of 70 in VT | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.