Compare towns
Cornish vs Peterborough vs Croydon
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 homeowners (94.1%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
Croydon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Peterborough | Croydon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
6,408Highest |
798Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
52.1±1.9 20% above NH |
43±9.1Lowest about the NH average |
| Cornish and Peterborough 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% |
16.3%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
19%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Croydon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
27.4%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Peterborough and Croydon 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% |
62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
21.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
4%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Croydon and Peterborough 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 |
$98,401±$8kHighest about the NH average |
$98,333±$21k about the NH average |
| Peterborough and Croydon 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 |
$404,500±$31kHighest about the NH average |
$317,300±$33k 21% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,395±$209Highest 6% below NH |
$991±$336Lowest 34% below NH |
| Peterborough 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 |
$8,655Highest 30% above NH |
$3,806Lowest 43% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
29.2%±7.4 NH: 48.2% |
7.1%±75.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.7% NH: 7.2% |
6.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
15.8%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Peterborough and Cornish 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 | — | #59 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Croydon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Conval Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0 |
— |
| 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.