Compare towns
Alstead vs Cornish vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most people working from home (12.1%).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k 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 | Alstead | Cornish | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
1,803 |
2,682Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
39±8.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.9±3.6 39% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Cornish and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gorham and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11k 20% below U.S. |
$69,038±$4kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$61,275±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37k 18% below U.S. |
$274,200±$84kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,196±$148Highest 15% below U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322Highest 71% above U.S. |
$2,309Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$4,334 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Alstead and Cornish 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 | — | — | #57 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.