Compare towns
Cornish vs Hartland vs Durham
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 affordable homes ($296k median).
Hartland has the most kids (16.5% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hartland | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
3,460 |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
55.8±5.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Hartland 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% |
16.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hartland and Cornish 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% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartland 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% |
36.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$86,136±$23kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$348,600±$39k 5% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
— | $1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
| Durham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$6,437 106% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.1%±89.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham 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% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Hartland 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 | — | #29 of 70 in VT | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Hartland School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 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.