Compare towns
Cornish vs Lancaster vs Windsor 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 oldest population (median age 54).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Lancaster | Windsor | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
8,606Highest |
3,554 |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Cornish and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Lancaster 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. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Plainfield 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. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Plainfield 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. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$5,209Lowest 67% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #61 of 70 in VT | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Nashoba | — | 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 | 12 photos → | 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.