Compare towns
Middlebury vs Windham 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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
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 | Windham | Cornwall | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,175 |
16,038Highest |
1,208Lowest |
3,778 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%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. |
41.1±2.9 6% 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$74,620±$8kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$337,300±$46kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,275±$181 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868 120% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Windham 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% |
2% 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% |
93.9% 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. |
1996Highest 16 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. |
31 minHighest 17% 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% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | — | #31 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Windham School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | Windham High School | None in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
12.8Highest |
— | 11.9Lowest |
| 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.