Compare towns
Cornish vs South Berwick vs Salisbury
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).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | South Berwick | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
7,670Highest |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.5±4.5 32% 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% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick 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% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| South Berwick 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±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and South Berwick 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. |
$428,300±$26kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and South Berwick 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. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and South Berwick 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 | — | #58 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.