Compare towns

Cornish vs Webster vs Springfield vs Plainfield

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).
Webster has the most homeowners (96%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).

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.

MeasureCornishWebsterSpringfieldPlainfield
People
Population
1,816
2,227
1,122Lowest
2,522Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.5%
NH: +4.6%
+2.2%
NH: +4.6%
-4%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+4%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
54±8.3Highest
25% above NH
44.7±7.6
3% above NH
51.4±8.8
19% above NH
38.9±6.5Lowest
10% below NH
Cornish and Springfield 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%
22.6%±8
NH: 18.2%
15.1%±8
NH: 18.2%
23.4%±5.8Highest
NH: 18.2%
Plainfield and Webster 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%
19.4%±1.3Lowest
NH: 20.1%
19.8%±1.6
NH: 20.1%
19.8%±4.5
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
40.6%
NH: 40.6%
30.7%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
36.4%
NH: 40.6%
46.7%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.4%±0.9
NH: 6%
3%±1.4
NH: 6%
0%±1.5Lowest
NH: 6%
4.8%±2.3Highest
NH: 6%
Plainfield and Webster 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
7% below NH
$107,171±$14k
8% above NH
$100,893±$19k
about the NH average
$122,656±$13kHighest
24% above NH
Plainfield and Webster 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
$338,500±$30k
16% below NH
$384,100±$50k
5% below NH
$442,400±$47kHighest
10% above NH
Plainfield and Springfield 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
$1,396±$622
6% below NH
$1,096±$217Lowest
26% below NH
$1,674±$181Highest
12% above NH
Plainfield and Webster 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
$6,021
10% below NH
$5,946
11% below NH
$7,904Highest
19% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
40.5%±38.1
NH: 48.2%
53.6%±71Highest
NH: 48.2%
25.9%±64.8Lowest
NH: 48.2%
31.8%±23.1
NH: 48.2%
Webster and Cornish 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%
9.6%Highest
NH: 7.2%
3.4%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
5.2%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.1%
NH: 72.8%
96%Highest
NH: 72.8%
90.7%
NH: 72.8%
87.3%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980
1 yr newer than NH
1979
same as NH
1985Highest
6 yrs newer than NH
1977Lowest
2 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
9% below NH
31 min
14% above NH
34 minHighest
29% above NH
22 minLowest
18% below NH
Work from home
12%±4.1Lowest
NH: 16.8%
17.1%±3.9
NH: 16.8%
16.7%±11.6
NH: 16.8%
18.1%±8.5Highest
NH: 16.8%
Plainfield and Webster 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 Merrimack Valley School District — Plainfield 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.