Compare towns
Cornish vs Durham vs Salisbury 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 (+5.8%).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
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 | Salisbury | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
15,080Highest |
1,609Lowest |
3,554 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest 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% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Durham and Salisbury 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. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
$5,209Lowest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17 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% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cornish School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Merrimack Valley School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.