Compare towns
Cornish vs Lancaster vs Baldwin vs Hiram
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Baldwin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
Hiram has the most kids (20.9% 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 | Cornish | Lancaster | Baldwin | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
8,606Highest |
1,170Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
50.6±4.6Highest 30% above U.S. |
41.6±10.2 7% above U.S. |
| Baldwin and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
12.1%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hiram and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
25% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Baldwin and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4k 14% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$68,045±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$62,813±$10kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 18% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$263,200±$38k 21% below U.S. |
$256,600±$42kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148 15% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
— | $1,070±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309 26% below U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$2,540 19% below U.S. |
$2,106Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #145 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Nashoba | — | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.