Compare towns
Charleston vs Cornish vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Charleston has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
Cornish has the highest household income ($92k).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
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 | Charleston | Cornish | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 936Lowest |
1,816Highest |
1,167 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±9.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Charleston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brighton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charleston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brighton and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,286±$17k 39% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$444 31% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750 20% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±26.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest 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 | 12.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Charleston and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Charleston School District | Cornish School District | Brighton 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 |
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.