Compare towns
Salisbury vs Whiting vs Cornwall vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the oldest housing (typical home built 1967).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
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 | Salisbury | Whiting | Cornwall | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,200 |
532Lowest |
1,208 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Salisbury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury 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% VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
| Cornwall and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,204±$519 about the VT average |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Salisbury and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,842 4% below VT |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.4% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 20% below VT |
22 min 7% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.