Compare towns
Cornish vs Croydon vs Peterborough
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 homeowners (94.1%).
Croydon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
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 | Croydon | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
798Lowest |
6,408Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
43±9.1Lowest about the NH average |
52.1±1.9 20% above NH |
| Cornish and Peterborough 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%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Croydon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.4%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
30.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Peterborough and Croydon 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% |
21.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Croydon and Peterborough 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 |
$98,333±$21k about the NH average |
$98,401±$8kHighest about the NH average |
| Peterborough and Croydon 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 |
$317,300±$33k 21% below NH |
$404,500±$31kHighest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$991±$336Lowest 34% below NH |
$1,395±$209Highest 6% below NH |
| Peterborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 13% below NH |
$3,806Lowest 43% below NH |
$8,655Highest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
7.1%±75.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
29.2%±7.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Peterborough 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% |
6.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.6% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.8%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Peterborough 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 | — | — | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Croydon School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.0 |
| 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.