Compare towns
Cornish vs Walpole vs Williston vs Lyndeborough
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).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Lyndeborough has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Williston | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
3,690 |
10,144Highest |
1,616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
50±3.2 29% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Williston 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% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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 14% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$116,964±$17kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Williston 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. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$390,900±$26k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,482±$457 5% above U.S. |
| Williston and Lyndeborough 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. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$7,133Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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 History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.



