Compare towns
Cornish vs Meredith vs Parsonsfield
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 the youngest population (median age 39).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Parsonsfield has the most kids (25% 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 | Meredith | Parsonsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,803 |
6,758Highest |
1,715Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Parsonsfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Meredith and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$72,045±$18k 11% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 18% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$272,100±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,185±$312 16% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$2,350 25% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.2%±35Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Parsonsfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
48 minHighest 83% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.