Compare towns
Cornish vs Nelson vs Warner
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 oldest population (median age 54).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Warner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Warner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
648Lowest |
2,959Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
42.3±11.7Lowest about the NH average |
43.7±4 about the NH average |
| Cornish and Warner 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% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$99,792±$23kHighest about the NH average |
$94,022±$18k 5% below NH |
| Nelson and Warner 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 |
$353,100±$22kHighest 12% below NH |
| Warner and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Highest 18% below NH |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,219±$123 18% below NH |
| Cornish and Warner 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 |
$7,650Highest 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.7%±21.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Warner and Cornish 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% |
8.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
74.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
32 minHighest 19% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.6%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cornish School District | Nelson School District | Kearsarge Regional 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.

