Compare towns
Cornish vs Keene 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 oldest population (median age 54).
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Keene | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
22,939Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Cornish 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% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Plainfield 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% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$6,812 about the NH average |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Keene 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 NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Keene 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 | — | #81 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Keene School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| 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.