Compare towns
Cornish vs Durham vs Eliot
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Eliot has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
10,681Highest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Eliot 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Durham and Eliot 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. |
$498,000±$45k 50% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Durham 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. |
$1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Durham 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Eliot 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% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school 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.