Compare towns
Sharon vs Middlebury vs Cornwall vs Barnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k 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 | Sharon | Middlebury | Cornwall | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,577 |
9,175Highest |
1,208Lowest |
1,855 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
| Cornwall and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
| Sharon and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903 17% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1976 same as VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5 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 | Sharon School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| 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.