Compare towns
Bath vs Cornish vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Bath | Cornish | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097Lowest |
1,816 |
2,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 12% above NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Cornish and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
$296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309 4% below NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
| Plainfield and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bath School District | Cornish School District | Plainfield 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 |
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.