Compare towns
Cornish vs Pittsfield vs Waterville 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 homeowners (94.1%).
Pittsfield has the most people working from home (28.1%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Pittsfield | Waterville | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
391Lowest |
680 |
2,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
53.8±3.5 38% above U.S. |
49.1±8.2 26% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Cornish and Pittsfield 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% |
13.6%±8.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±8.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Waterville 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% |
30.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pittsfield 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%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% |
2.8%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waterville 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±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$65,852±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$71,250±$27k 12% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$313,300±$73k 6% below U.S. |
$236,300±$15kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,035±$140Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,110±$93 21% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$5,181 66% above U.S. |
$3,957Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.6%±43 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±27.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterville 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% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.1%±24.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pittsfield 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 | — | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.