Compare towns
Cornish vs Surry vs Walpole vs Lyndeborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Lyndeborough has the most expensive homes ($391k 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 | Surry | Walpole | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
1,052Lowest |
3,690Highest |
1,616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+12%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
44.7±5.1Lowest 3% above NH |
46.5±10.4 7% above NH |
50±3.2 15% above NH |
| Cornish and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6.2 NH: 18.2% |
22.2%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Walpole and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±7 NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±5.4 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Walpole 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 NH: 40.6% |
31.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
32.9% NH: 40.6% |
40.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.6%±6.6Highest NH: 6% |
4%±2.8 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Surry and Walpole 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 7% below NH |
$110,125±$25k 11% above NH |
$82,617±$16kLowest 17% below NH |
$116,964±$17kHighest 18% above NH |
| Lyndeborough and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$331,400±$23k 18% below NH |
$319,800±$48k 21% below NH |
$390,900±$26kHighest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,955±$374Highest 31% above NH |
$1,165±$150Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,482±$457 about the NH average |
| Surry and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$6,384 4% below NH |
$6,078 9% below NH |
$7,133Highest 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±21.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±90 NH: 48.2% |
| Walpole and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.6% NH: 72.8% |
69.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1 NH: 16.8% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyndeborough and Surry 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 | — | — | #27 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.