Compare towns
Cornish vs Walpole vs Salisbury 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 most affordable homes ($296k median).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | Walpole | Salisbury | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
3,690Highest |
1,609Lowest |
1,616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
-2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
46.5±10.4Lowest 7% above NH |
51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
50±3.2 15% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
22.2%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Walpole 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 NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±5.4 NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±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% |
32.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.3% NH: 40.6% |
40.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Walpole and Lyndeborough 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 |
$82,617±$16kLowest 17% below NH |
$111,591±$17k 13% above NH |
$116,964±$17kHighest 18% above NH |
| Lyndeborough 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±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$319,800±$48k 21% below NH |
$363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
$390,900±$26kHighest about the NH average |
| Lyndeborough 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 18% below NH |
$1,165±$150Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
$1,482±$457 about the NH average |
| Salisbury 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 |
$6,078 9% below NH |
$5,859 12% below NH |
$7,133Highest 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±21.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
11.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% NH: 72.8% |
69.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
92.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
23 minLowest 13% below NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury and Lyndeborough 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 | Merrimack Valley School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None 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.