Compare towns
Cornish vs Meredith 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 most affordable homes ($296k median).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Meredith | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
6,758Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 25% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Meredith 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 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest 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%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Meredith 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 |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Meredith 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 18% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 13% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith 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% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.