Compare towns
Cornish vs Northfield vs Plainfield
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).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Northfield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
5,920Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Northfield 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% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Northfield 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% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,878Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Northfield 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.