Compare towns
Cornish vs Bridgewater vs Plainfield
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%).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% 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 | Bridgewater | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
1,169Lowest |
2,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 25% above NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield 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% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest 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% NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$82,361±$9kLowest 17% below NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
| Plainfield and Bridgewater 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 |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 13% below NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Newfound Area School District | Plainfield 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.