Compare towns
Cornish vs Stratton 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 most affordable homes ($296k median).
Stratton has the most kids (28% under 18).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($442k median).
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 | Stratton | Plainfield | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
532Lowest |
2,522Highest |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%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. |
31.5±4.1Lowest 19% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 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% |
28%±7.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratton and Plainfield 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% |
11.7%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 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% |
33.2%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%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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. |
$122,708±$33kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
| Stratton and Plainfield 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. |
$400,000±$50k 20% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Stratton 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. |
$1,208±$979Lowest 15% 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. |
$4,750Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±69.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3%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. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Plainfield School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| 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 | 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.