Compare towns
Cornish vs Madbury vs Plainfield vs Rollinsford
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).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Rollinsford has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Plainfield | Rollinsford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
2,203 |
2,522 |
2,626Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
38.8±5.5 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.9 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% |
52.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Madbury 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 7% below NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$89,500±$26kLowest 10% below NH |
| 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 26% below NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$398,100±$33k about the NH average |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,809±$394Highest 21% above NH |
| Rollinsford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$6,851 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
40%±26.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Rollinsford 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% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
78.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Rollinsford 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 | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #94 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Plainfield School District | Rollinsford School District |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.