Compare towns
Ashland vs Cornish vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most renters (35.9% rent).
Cornish has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | Ashland | Cornish | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Highest |
1,816 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Lowest about the NH average |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Ashland and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$111,591±$17kHighest 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
$363,400±$47kHighest 10% below NH |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
$5,859Highest 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Ashland School District | Cornish School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.