Compare towns
Whiting vs Mendon vs Orwell vs Cornwall
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k median).
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 | Whiting | Mendon | Orwell | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532Lowest |
1,113 |
1,294Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
47.5±7 10% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$335,600±$25k 6% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519 about the VT average |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
| Mendon and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227 16% below VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
87.3% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 7% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
27 minHighest 15% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.