Compare towns
Cornish vs Bridgewater vs Lyndeborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
Lyndeborough has the most people working from home (16.7%).
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 | Bridgewater | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,169Lowest |
1,616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 25% above NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
50±3.2Lowest 15% above NH |
| Bridgewater and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bridgewater and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$82,361±$9kLowest 17% below NH |
$116,964±$17kHighest 18% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$398,600±$65kHighest about the NH average |
$390,900±$26k about the NH average |
| Bridgewater and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
$1,482±$457Highest about the NH average |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 13% below NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$7,133Highest 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±90Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cornish School District | Newfound Area School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative 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 |
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.