Compare towns
Cornish vs Fair Haven vs Reading vs Lyndeborough
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Lyndeborough has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Fair Haven | Reading | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
2,724Highest |
699Lowest |
1,616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
50±3.2 29% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Fair Haven and Reading 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% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fair Haven and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$116,964±$17kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$390,900±$26kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Reading 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. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,482±$457Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish 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. |
$3,865Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$7,133Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Lyndeborough 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 | — | #66 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.