Compare towns
Cornish vs Durham vs Tuftonboro 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Tuftonboro has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Tuftonboro | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
15,080Highest |
2,569 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
51.9±7.5 20% above NH |
51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
| Cornish and Tuftonboro 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% |
18.2%±4.7 NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Salisbury and Tuftonboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.8%±6.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| Tuftonboro 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% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.6% NH: 40.6% |
37.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$100,574±$16k about the NH average |
$111,591±$17k 13% above NH |
| 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±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$462,300±$46k 15% above NH |
$363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
| Durham and Tuftonboro 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 |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,311±$358 12% below NH |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
| 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 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$3,004Lowest 55% below 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% |
6.5%±28.5 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| 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% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
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% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
30 min 12% above NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
14.3%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | — | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Governor Wentworth Regional 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 Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.