Compare towns
Cornish vs Durham vs Newfields vs Salisbury
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 most affordable homes ($296k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Salisbury has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Newfields | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
15,080Highest |
2,023 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
44.1±1.8 about the NH average |
51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Salisbury and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9 NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
68.1% NH: 40.6% |
37.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2 NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
$111,591±$17k 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
$363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,875±$323 26% above NH |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
| Salisbury and Newfields 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,859 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.3% NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Newfields and Salisbury 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 | — | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Newfields School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 photos → | 6 photos → | 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.