Compare towns
Cornish vs Dover vs Salisbury
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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Salisbury has the most kids (20.1% 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 | Dover | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,466Lowest |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Lowest 32% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Dover 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% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Cornish 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% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Salisbury 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. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Dover 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% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cornish School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.