Compare towns
Cornish vs Plainfield vs Topsham
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 oldest population (median age 54).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Plainfield | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
2,522 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Topsham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Topsham 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Topsham 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% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Cornish School District | Plainfield School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.