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The West Cornwall covered bridge over the Housatonic River in Cornwall, Connecticut

Living in Cornwall, Connecticut

Cornwall is a rural town in the Northwest Hills of Litchfield County, bordered on the west by the Housatonic River. It is made up of several distinct settlements, including Cornwall Bridge, West Cornwall and Cornwall Village, rather than one central downtown. Much of the town is forest, including a large part of Mohawk State Forest.

Photo: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0

Cornwall at a glance

Cornwall's villages and zip codes

Cornwall is split across three ZIP codes by village: 06753 (Cornwall), 06754 (Cornwall Bridge) and 06796 (West Cornwall).

Cornwall villages and zip codes
AreaZip codeWhere it is
Cornwall Village06753The town office and Cornwall Library sit in this settlement about three miles east of the Housatonic River.
West Cornwall06796A village on the Housatonic River with its own post office, known for its 1864 covered bridge.
Cornwall Bridge06754A village with its own post office along Route 7 and the Housatonic River, at the southern end of town.

Cornwall covers about 46.3 square miles and borders Canaan, Goshen, Warren, Kent and Sharon. It was incorporated in 1740.

Things to do in Cornwall, CT

Start with West Cornwall Covered Bridge and Mohawk State Forest, then 2 more below.

  1. West Cornwall Covered Bridge

    A wooden covered bridge over the Housatonic River built in 1864, one of only three surviving covered bridges in Connecticut still carrying vehicle traffic. It is one of the most photographed sites in the state.

    FreeYear-round

    Route 128, West Cornwall

  2. Mohawk State Forest

    A 4,000-plus acre state forest that includes Mohawk Mountain, at 1,683 feet, with a scenic overlook, hiking trails, a fishing pond and camping. Part of the Mattatuck Trail runs along its ridge.

    FreeYear-round

    Mohawk Mountain Rd, Cornwall

    Plan a visit
  3. Cornwall Library

    A library built in 2002 holding over 28,000 items, with regular art shows, lectures and the annual Books & Bloom sale.

    Free

    Cornwall Village

    Plan a visit
  4. Housatonic River fishing and paddling

    A designated Wild Trout Management Area of the Housatonic River runs along Cornwall's western border, popular for fly fishing and canoeing/kayaking.

    Seasonal

    Housatonic River, Cornwall Bridge to West Cornwall

More worth a visit

  • Cathedral PinesA preserve with a stand of old-growth white pine and hemlock managed by The Nature Conservancy.

Around the calendar

  • May
    Books & BloomAn annual used-book sale and garden tour hosted by the Cornwall Library.

A little history

Cornwall was incorporated in 1740 and named after the county of Cornwall, England.

The Foreign Mission School operated in Cornwall starting in 1817; the death of a Hawaiian student there in 1818 helped spur the Congregational church's 1820 mission to Hawaii.

The Cream Hill Agricultural School property, an active farmstead dating to 1845, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Parks, trails and outdoors in Cornwall

Cornwall's outdoor recreation centers on the Housatonic River and Mohawk State Forest, with trails, fishing water and a mountain overlook all within town.

  • Mohawk State ForestHiking, picnicking, a scenic overlook from Mohawk Mountain, pond fishing and camping.More information
  • Mattatuck TrailA blue-blazed trail that follows the former eastern route of the Appalachian Trail over Mohawk Mountain.More information
  • Housatonic RiverRiver frontage along the town's western border used for fly fishing and paddling, with public access near Cornwall Bridge and West Cornwall.
  • Cream Hill LakeA lake in the Cream Hill section of town assessed by the state as fully supporting recreation and fish habitat.
  • Housatonic State Forest (Cream Hill block)State forest land including the Cream Hill Shelter along the Mohawk Trail.

Where to eat in Cornwall: restaurants and coffee

3 places in Cornwall to try, including american restaurant and inn and general store / deli. No one paid to be listed.

Walkability and getting around Cornwall

None of Cornwall's villages are set up for car-free living; West Cornwall and Cornwall Bridge each have a small walkable cluster of buildings, but a car is needed to move between villages or reach services.

Cornwall Village

24 Pine Street, Cornwall, CT 06753

West Cornwall

Cornwall Bridge

Check any Cornwall address

Drive times

  • Torrington, about 20 miles30–40 min
  • Bradley International Airport, about 55 miles60–75 min

Approximate, without traffic.

By bus or train

Cornwall has no fixed-route CTtransit bus service or train station; the nearest Metro-North service is well outside town, so residents rely on cars.

Cornwall property taxes and home prices

Cornwall's 2026–27 mill rate is 16.62, which is $16.62 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. Connecticut taxes a home at 70% of its appraised value, so every $100,000 of value costs about $1,163 a year in taxes at 16.62 mills.

What homes in Cornwall sell for

12 months endingSingle-familyCondo
Sep 2024$765,00020 sales–
Sep 2025$840,00022 sales–

October to September, state records. Text us for this month's sales.

Cornwall's mill rate for 2026–27

16.62mills, fiscal year 2026–27

  • Town of Cornwall16.62 mills
  • Motor vehicles16.62 mills
  • Next revaluationOctober 1, 2026

Cornwall property tax calculator

$
Assessed value (70%)
–
Taxes a year
–
About this much a month
–

Estimate only; the assessor's appraisal sets the bill.

Using our mortgage calculator or affordability calculator? Enter about 1.16% for property tax. That's 16.62 mills on a 70% assessment.

How Cornwall's mill rate has changed

Cornwall town mill rate by fiscal year
Fiscal yearTown rate
2022–2314.49
2023–2414.70
2024–2515.30
2025–2615.96
2026–2716.62

Cornwall's town rate went from 14.49 in 2022–23 to 16.62 in 2026–27. Next revaluation: October 1, 2026.

Look up a Cornwall property

Buying a home in Cornwall

What we check on a Cornwall purchase: CHFA limits, the flood map, well & septic and river flood zones.

CHFA

First-time buyer programs in Cornwall

CHFA sets Cornwall's income and price limits for Litchfield County. We check them with you before you shop.

See CHFA's limits map
Flood maps

Check the flood zone first

The Housatonic River forms Cornwall's western border, putting land near West Cornwall and Cornwall Bridge in FEMA-mapped flood zones. We check FEMA's map before you offer.

FEMA's flood map for Cornwall
Well & septic

Private wells and septic are the norm

Cornwall has no townwide public water or sewer system, so nearly every home relies on a private well and septic system. Get both inspected as part of any offer.

River flood zones

Housatonic River frontage

Homes near the river in West Cornwall and Cornwall Bridge may fall in a FEMA flood zone; check flood zone status and insurance cost before making an offer on riverfront property.

All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and property and program requirements. CHFA and USDA limits and eligibility are set by those agencies and change from time to time.

James Allen

Thinking about buying in Cornwall?

Send us a Cornwall address and we'll run the numbers, taxes included.

Compare loan optionsOur process

Moving to Cornwall: utilities, trash and town offices

Who to call in Cornwall: Eversource for power.

Town offices and contacts

Cornwall Town Hall is at 24 Pine Street, Cornwall, CT 06753. Hours: Monday–Thursday 9 am–12 pm and 1–4 pm (First Selectman's office). Main line: 860-672-4959. Each link opens that office's page on the town's website.

Cornwall, CT FAQ: taxes, prices and town services

The short answers. Call or text us for the long ones.

What is the mill rate in Cornwall, CT?

Cornwall's 2026–27 mill rate is 16.62, which is $16.62 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. The motor vehicle rate is 16.62 mills.

How much are property taxes on a $500,000 home in Cornwall?

Connecticut assesses homes at 70% of appraised value, so a $500,000 home would be assessed at about $350,000. At 16.62 mills that's about $5,817 a year, or about $485 a month. The actual bill depends on the town assessor's appraisal, not the price you pay.

What is the median home price in Cornwall, CT?

In the 12 months from October 2024 through September 2025, the median single-family sale in Cornwall was $840,000 across 22 sales, compared with $765,000 the year before.

When is Cornwall's next revaluation?

Cornwall's next revaluation takes effect October 1, 2026, on the state's schedule. The new assessments first show up on the tax bills due in July 2027.

What county is Cornwall, CT in?

Cornwall is in Litchfield County, in Connecticut's Northwest Hills Planning Region.

What ZIP codes does Cornwall use?

Cornwall is split across three ZIP codes by village: 06753 (Cornwall), 06754 (Cornwall Bridge) and 06796 (West Cornwall).

Is there curbside trash pickup in Cornwall?

No. Cornwall does not run municipal curbside collection; residents use private haulers or the town transfer station.

Is there public transit in Cornwall?

No. Cornwall has no fixed-route bus or rail service; a car is needed to get around.

What school district serves Cornwall?

Cornwall is part of Regional School District 1, along with Canaan, Kent, North Canaan, Salisbury and Sharon.

Towns near Cornwall

Neighbors of Cornwall in Litchfield County and nearby. All Litchfield County towns.

Sources