Compare towns
Cornish vs Gray vs Windsor vs Salisbury
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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Gray | Windsor | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
8,429Highest |
3,554 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% 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%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 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% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Gray 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. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| Gray and Salisbury 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. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Gray 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,209 67% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Cornish 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% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.