Compare towns
Windsor vs Cornish vs Calais vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Windsor | Cornish | Calais | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,060Highest |
1,816 |
1,713 |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3 15% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,197±$4k 37% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Calais and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22k 49% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Calais and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107 29% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Calais and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 56% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and Brighton 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | — | Cornish School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Brighton School District |
| 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 |
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.