Compare towns
Cornish vs Springfield vs Plainfield 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 oldest population (median age 54).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Springfield | Plainfield | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
9,084Highest |
2,522 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest 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% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 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%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest 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% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Springfield 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. |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% 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±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% 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. |
$963±$100Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% 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. |
$4,807Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield 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% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | — | #64 of 70 in VT | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Plainfield School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Springfield High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
— | — |
| 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.