Compare towns

Cornish vs Plainfield vs Reading

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).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).

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.

MeasureCornishPlainfieldReading
People
Population
1,816
2,522Highest
699Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
54±8.3Highest
39% above U.S.
38.9±6.5Lowest
about the U.S. average
51.1±7.6
31% above U.S.
Cornish and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.4%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.4%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.5%±4.2
U.S.: 22%
Plainfield and Reading 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%
19.8%±4.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
28.2%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Reading 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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
46.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
46%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.4%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.1%±2.5
U.S.: 6.4%
Plainfield and Reading 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.
$122,656±$13kHighest
52% above U.S.
$85,000±$19kLowest
5% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$296,000±$69kLowest
11% below U.S.
$442,400±$47kHighest
33% above U.S.
$377,200±$72k
13% above U.S.
Plainfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,221±$227
14% below U.S.
$1,674±$181Highest
18% above U.S.
$1,100±$331Lowest
22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,796
86% above U.S.
$7,904Highest
153% above U.S.
$5,754Lowest
84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
40.5%±38.1
U.S.: 51.1%
31.8%±23.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
63.3%±31.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Reading 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%
5.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
84.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980Highest
same as U.S.
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
1969Lowest
11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
8% below U.S.
22 minLowest
17% below U.S.
33 minHighest
25% above U.S.
Work from home
12%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.1%±8.5
U.S.: 15.1%
22.9%±10.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Reading 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 Plainfield School District Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76
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

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.