Compare towns
Cornish vs Chester vs Hooksett 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).
Chester has the most expensive homes ($552k median).
Hooksett has the most renters (19.4% rent).
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 | Chester | Hooksett | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
5,300 |
15,057Highest |
1,616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
50±3.2 15% above NH |
| Cornish and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Lyndeborough 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% |
41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$116,964±$17k 18% above NH |
| Chester and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$390,900±$26k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
— | $1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,482±$457 about the NH average |
| Hooksett and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
$7,133 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±90Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyndeborough and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below NH |
35 min 31% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyndeborough and Chester 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 | — | #90 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Chester School District | Hooksett School District | 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 Our Story | None yet | 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.