Compare towns
Auburn 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
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Salisbury has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
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 | Auburn | Cornish | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,119Highest |
1,816 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Lowest 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 | 19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Salisbury and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
37.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$111,591±$17k 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
| Salisbury and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092Highest 21% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$5,859 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
7.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Salisbury 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 | #44 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Auburn 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.