Compare towns
Cornish vs Henniker vs Lyndeborough 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).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Lyndeborough | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
6,197Highest |
1,616Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.1% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
50±3.2 15% above NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
| Cornish and Lyndeborough 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% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Henniker 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% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
40.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$116,964±$17k 18% above NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Plainfield and Lyndeborough 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 |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$390,900±$26k about the NH average |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
| Plainfield and Lyndeborough 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 |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,482±$457 about the NH average |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
| Plainfield and Lyndeborough 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 |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$7,133 7% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±90Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyndeborough and Henniker 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% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.4% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Lyndeborough 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 | — | #56 of 120 in NH | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Henniker School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative 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.