Compare towns
Cornish vs Madbury vs Ogunquit 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 affordable homes ($296k median).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Madbury | Ogunquit | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
2,203 |
1,379Lowest |
2,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| Ogunquit 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% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and Plainfield 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% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
| Madbury 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±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
— | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Madbury 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Plainfield 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% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.