Compare towns
Cornish vs Hampstead vs North Hampton vs Plainfield
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).
Hampstead has the most renters (17.9% rent).
North Hampton has the most expensive homes ($670k median).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 38.9).
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 | Hampstead | North Hampton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
9,102Highest |
4,543 |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
50.5±3.3 17% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Cornish and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
19.2%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4 NH: 20.1% |
26%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.5 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Hampstead and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
$146,458±$29kHighest 48% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| North Hampton and Plainfield 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 |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
$670,400±$61kHighest 67% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,299±$149 13% below NH |
$1,805±$106Highest 21% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
| North Hampton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$8,529 28% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampstead 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% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| North Hampton and Hampstead 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 | — | #49 of 120 in NH | #12 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Hampstead School District | North Hampton School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.