Compare towns
Middlesex vs Brattleboro vs Cornish vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Middlesex | Brattleboro | Cornish | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
12,122Highest |
1,816 |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Cornish School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.