Compare towns
Cornish vs Hancock vs Peterborough
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).
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
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 | Hancock | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
1,791Lowest |
6,408Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
53.8±4.5 24% above NH |
52.1±1.9Lowest 20% above NH |
| Cornish and Hancock 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% |
15.4%±2.2 NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Peterborough and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.2%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
30.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Peterborough and Hancock 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% |
53.9% NH: 40.6% |
62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Hancock and Peterborough 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 |
$95,208±$15k 4% below NH |
$98,401±$8kHighest about the NH average |
| Peterborough and Hancock 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 |
$436,700±$22kHighest 8% above NH |
$404,500±$31k about the NH average |
| Hancock and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,208±$650Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,395±$209Highest 6% below NH |
| Peterborough and Cornish 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 |
$6,884 3% above NH |
$8,655Highest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.4%±55.6 NH: 48.2% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Hancock 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% |
4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
85.6% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1970 9 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
33 minHighest 24% above NH |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
15.8%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Peterborough and Hancock 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 | — | — | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.