Compare towns
Cornish vs Salisbury vs Waterville
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,609 |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
49.1±8.2Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| 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%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±8.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterville and Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waterville and Salisbury 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. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$236,300±$15kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornish 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. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,110±$93Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornish 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. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$3,957Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±27.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterville 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% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Cornish 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 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.