Compare towns
Cornish vs Unity vs Waltham
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 kids (14.4% under 18).
Unity has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Unity | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,375 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 54±8.3Lowest 39% above U.S. |
58±4.5 49% above U.S. |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Cornish and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.9%±7 U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waltham and Cornish 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. |
$87,500±$16kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Cornish 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. |
$276,100±$29kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Waltham and Cornish 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. |
$1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,096±$113Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Unity and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,394Lowest 73% above U.S. |
$5,714 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Unity 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% |
6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waltham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cornish School District | Unity School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.