Compare towns
Northfield vs Cornwall vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Waitsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | Northfield | Cornwall | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
1,208Lowest |
1,918 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
44.3±5.3 about the VT average |
| Cornwall and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
23.8%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waitsfield and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Waitsfield and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
63.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.8%±3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$84,375±$34k 4% above VT |
| Cornwall and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21kLowest 13% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$422,400±$92k 33% above VT |
| Cornwall and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,200±$821Highest about the VT average |
| Waitsfield and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Lowest 3% below VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$6,208 23% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
47.4%±30.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Waitsfield 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.