Compare towns
Cornish vs Brookfield vs Braintree vs Lyndeborough
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Lyndeborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Brookfield | Braintree | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,486 |
1,026Lowest |
1,616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
50±3.2 29% above U.S. |
| Braintree 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lyndeborough and Brookfield 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 14% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
$116,964±$17kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$390,900±$26kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,482±$457Highest 5% above U.S. |
| 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 86% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$7,133Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyndeborough and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
37 min 38% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Cornish School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.