Compare towns

Cornish vs Fairlee vs Windsor vs Plainfield

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 most homeowners (94.1%).
Fairlee has the most people working from home (23.5%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($442k median).

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.

MeasureCornishFairleeWindsorPlainfield
People
Population
1,816
54Lowest
2,060
2,522Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+3.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
54±8.3
39% above U.S.
63.5±7.6Highest
63% above U.S.
44.6±12.3
15% above U.S.
38.9±6.5Lowest
about the U.S. average
Fairlee and Cornish 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%
0%±52.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.1%±8.8
U.S.: 22%
23.4%±5.8Highest
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%
37%±54.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
29.2%±8
U.S.: 17.2%
19.8%±4.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Fairlee and Windsor 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%
11.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
40%
U.S.: 35.7%
46.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.4%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
0%±26.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.2%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,821±$2k
14% above U.S.
$21,071±$13kLowest
74% below U.S.
$51,197±$4k
37% below U.S.
$122,656±$13kHighest
52% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$296,000±$69k
11% below U.S.
$277,500±$28k
17% below U.S.
$170,300±$22kLowest
49% below U.S.
$442,400±$47kHighest
33% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,221±$227
14% below U.S.
$1,057±$620
25% below U.S.
$1,002±$107Lowest
29% below U.S.
$1,674±$181Highest
18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,796
86% above U.S.
$3,750Lowest
20% above U.S.
$4,878
56% above U.S.
$7,904Highest
153% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
40.5%±38.1
U.S.: 51.1%
100%±55.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
31.4%±20Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
31.8%±23.1
U.S.: 51.1%
Fairlee 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%
50%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
5.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
57.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
51.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980Highest
same as U.S.
1942
38 yrs older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
8% below U.S.
—
22 min
16% below U.S.
22 minLowest
17% below U.S.
Work from home
12%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
23.5%±30.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.6%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.1%±8.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Fairlee and Plainfield 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 — — #61 of 70 in VT #19 of 120 in NH
School district Cornish School District — — Plainfield School District
High school in town None in town — — None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.