Compare towns
Cornish vs Chesterfield vs Calais
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 most affordable homes ($296k median).
Chesterfield has the most renters (16.4% rent).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Chesterfield | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
3,622Highest |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7 20% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Chesterfield 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% |
28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$102,370±$40kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$373,500±$33k 12% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Calais and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,324±$1k 6% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$6,344 103% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and Chesterfield 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 | — | #52 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Chesterfield School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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 |
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.