Compare towns
Cornish vs Dummerston vs Keene vs Plainfield
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 oldest population (median age 54).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Dummerston | Keene | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
2,090 |
22,939Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| Cornish and Dummerston 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% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Dummerston 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% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Dummerston 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. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Keene and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Plainfield 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 | — | — | #81 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Keene School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Keene High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.