Compare towns
Athens vs Cornish vs Plainfield vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($442k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Athens | Cornish | Plainfield | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,816 |
2,522 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 22% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athens and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 74% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Athens 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 | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Cornish School District | Plainfield School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.