Compare towns
Cornish vs Chester 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).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
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 | Chester | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
5,300Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Cornish and Chester 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%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Chester 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%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.1% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| Chester and Plainfield 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 |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
— | $1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Plainfield 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Chester 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.