Compare towns
Cornish vs Ogunquit vs Salisbury 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 most affordable homes ($296k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (96.9%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 38.9).
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 | Ogunquit | Salisbury | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
1,379Lowest |
1,609 |
2,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Ogunquit and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Ogunquit 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
— | $1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Plainfield 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit 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 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Merrimack Valley School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.