Compare towns
Cornish vs Peterborough vs Lyndeborough
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).
Peterborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
Lyndeborough has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
6,408Highest |
1,616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
52.1±1.9 20% above NH |
50±3.2Lowest 15% above NH |
| 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%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Peterborough and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
30.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Peterborough and Cornish 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% |
40.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Lyndeborough 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±$8k about the NH average |
$116,964±$17kHighest 18% above NH |
| Lyndeborough and Peterborough 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 |
$390,900±$26k about the NH average |
| Peterborough and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,395±$209 6% below NH |
$1,482±$457Highest about the NH average |
| Lyndeborough and Peterborough 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 |
$8,655Highest 30% above NH |
$7,133 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±90Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyndeborough 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% |
5.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.4% 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 |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.8%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyndeborough and Peterborough 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 | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative 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.