Compare towns
Cornish vs Salisbury vs Wayne vs Plainfield
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 most affordable homes ($296k median).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (96.9%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Wayne | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
1,609 |
1,101Lowest |
2,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wayne and Cornish 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% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne and Cornish 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% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne 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. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Salisbury 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. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29k 9% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Plainfield 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 14% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Plainfield 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Salisbury 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 |
| School district | Cornish School District | Merrimack Valley School District | RSU 38 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.