Compare towns
Cornish vs Plainfield vs Townsend
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
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 | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
2,522 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Townsend 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%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Plainfield 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% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest 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% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% 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% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cornish School District | Plainfield School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| 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.