Compare towns
Cornish vs Middlesex vs Ira 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).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Ira has the most affordable homes ($273k median).
Salisbury has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Middlesex | Ira | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
1,943Highest |
381Lowest |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| Ira 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Salisbury 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira 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% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Ira 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. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Middlesex 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. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Salisbury 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. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Middlesex 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. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,146Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Ira 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Cornish School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Merrimack Valley 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 | 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.