Compare towns
Cornish vs Ira vs Reading vs Salisbury
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Ira has the most affordable homes ($273k median).
Reading has the most renters (15.1% rent).
Salisbury has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
381Lowest |
699 |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Lowest 31% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| 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% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ira and Reading 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. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| Reading and Salisbury 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. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,146Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% 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% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Merrimack Valley 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.