Compare towns
Cornish vs Salisbury vs Temple
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
Temple has the most renters (17.8% 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 | Salisbury | Temple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,609 |
1,363Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
49.5±7.3Lowest 14% above NH |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.3% NH: 40.6% |
36.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1Highest NH: 6% |
1.7%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Salisbury and Temple 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 |
$111,591±$17kHighest 13% above NH |
$94,107±$15k 5% below NH |
| Salisbury and Temple 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 |
$363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
$401,000±$27kHighest about the NH average |
| Temple and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
$1,169±$523Lowest 22% below NH |
| Salisbury and Cornish 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 |
$5,859 12% below NH |
$6,983Highest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
30.2%±54.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Temple 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% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cornish School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| 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 |
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.