Compare towns
Cornish vs Nelson vs Salisbury
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).
Nelson has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | Nelson | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
648Lowest |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
42.3±11.7Lowest about the NH average |
51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| 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% NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Salisbury and Cornish 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 7% below NH |
$99,792±$23k about the NH average |
$111,591±$17kHighest 13% above NH |
| Salisbury and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$340,900±$49k 15% below NH |
$363,400±$47kHighest 10% below NH |
| Salisbury and Nelson 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 |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 13% below NH |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
$5,859Highest 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson 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 | Nelson School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.