Compare towns
Cornish vs Ira vs Reading vs Plainfield
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 homeowners (94.1%).
Ira has the most affordable homes ($273k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Ira | Reading | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
381Lowest |
699 |
2,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Ira 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% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Reading 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% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Reading 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% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Reading 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. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,146Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading 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% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Plainfield 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 | — | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.