Compare towns
Cornish vs Plainfield vs Wilder vs Williston
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).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Wilder | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
2,522 |
3,087 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Wilder 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Williston 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% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% 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% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Williston 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. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Plainfield 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±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Plainfield 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. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% 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% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cornish School District | Plainfield School District | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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.