Compare towns
Cornish vs Durham vs Lebanon vs Plainfield
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 oldest population (median age 54).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% 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 | Lebanon | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
10,681 |
14,999Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
38.9±3.1 10% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Lebanon 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 NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.5% NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$98,147±$10k about the NH average |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Plainfield and Durham 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 |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$385,400±$29k 4% below NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Durham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
$1,744±$132Highest 17% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
| Lebanon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,149 22% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Lebanon 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% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6% NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below NH |
17 min 36% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Lebanon 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Lebanon School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Lebanon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.