Compare towns
Cornish vs Lyndeborough 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).
Lyndeborough has the highest household income ($117k).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Salisbury has the most kids (20.1% 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 | Lyndeborough | Reading | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,616 |
699Lowest |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
50±3.2Lowest 29% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Salisbury 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% |
14.9%±5.3 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% |
22.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lyndeborough 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. |
$116,964±$17kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$390,900±$26kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough 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. |
$1,482±$457 5% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Lyndeborough 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. |
$7,133Highest 129% above U.S. |
$5,754Lowest 84% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Lyndeborough 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% 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. |
1981 1 yr newer 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. |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5 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 | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative 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 | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 7 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.