Compare towns
Cornish vs Middlesex vs Sheldon vs Tuftonboro
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 oldest population (median age 54).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Tuftonboro has the most expensive homes ($462k median).
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 | Sheldon | Tuftonboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
1,943 |
2,267 |
2,569Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
51.9±7.5 33% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Tuftonboro 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% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Middlesex 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%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Tuftonboro 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% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Sheldon 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±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$78,533±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
$100,574±$16k 25% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Tuftonboro 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±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$272,400±$61kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$462,300±$46kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379 9% below U.S. |
$1,311±$358 7% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Tuftonboro 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. |
$3,578 15% above U.S. |
$3,004Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.5%±28.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Tuftonboro 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% |
5.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Tuftonboro 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Governor Wentworth Regional 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 | 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.