Compare towns
Cornish vs Durham vs Plainfield vs Windsor
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).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
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 | Plainfield | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
10,681Highest |
2,522 |
2,060 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
44.6±12.3 15% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Windsor 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| 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±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$170,300±$22kLowest 49% below U.S. |
| 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±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,002±$107Lowest 29% below U.S. |
| Plainfield 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. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$4,878Lowest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Cornish 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 120 in NH | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.