Compare towns
Cornish vs Needham vs Lyndeborough vs Windsor
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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
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 | Needham | Lyndeborough | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
32,459Highest |
1,616Lowest |
3,554 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
50±3.2 29% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Lyndeborough 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Lyndeborough 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$116,964±$17k 45% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$390,900±$26k 17% above U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,482±$457 5% above U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,133 129% above U.S. |
$5,209Lowest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Lyndeborough 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cornish School District | Needham | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.