Compare towns
Brighton vs Cornish vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% 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 | Brighton | Cornish | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167Lowest |
1,816Highest |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brighton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Brighton 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 |
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.