Compare towns
Alstead vs Cornwall vs Mendon vs Gilsum
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 renters (24% rent).
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Gilsum has the youngest population (median age 44.8).
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 | Cornwall | Mendon | Gilsum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,551Highest |
1,208 |
1,113 |
716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
44.8±8.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
12%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cornwall and Mendon 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% |
25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cornwall 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±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$80,417±$7k about the U.S. average |
| Cornwall and Mendon 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. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$241,500±$32kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,575±$894Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Gilsum and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,726Highest 116% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$5,579 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
76.5%±55.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Monadnock Regional 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.