Compare towns
Cornish vs Portsmouth vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Portsmouth | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
22,545Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Portsmouth 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 NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Portsmouth 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 7% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Plainfield and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,018Highest 20% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth 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 NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth 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 | — | #11 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Portsmouth School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.