Compare towns
Cornish vs Pelham vs Springfield vs Plainfield
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).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Pelham | Springfield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
14,449Highest |
1,122Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
51.4±8.8 19% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Cornish and Springfield 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% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
15.1%±8 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Pelham 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% NH: 40.6% |
40% NH: 40.6% |
36.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
0%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Pelham 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 7% below NH |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$100,893±$19k about the NH average |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| Pelham and Plainfield 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 |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$384,100±$50k 5% below NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$1,096±$217Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
| Plainfield and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$5,946 11% below NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham 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% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.7% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
30 min 10% above NH |
34 minHighest 29% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±11.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham and Plainfield 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Pelham School District | — | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.