Compare towns
Cornish vs Needham vs Plainfield 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 most affordable homes ($296k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (96.9%).
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 | Needham | Plainfield | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
32,459Highest |
2,522 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Salisbury 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% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Salisbury 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% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,917±$632 36% above U.S. |
| Needham and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% 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% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Cornish 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Salisbury 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 282 in MA | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Needham | Plainfield School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.