Compare towns

Cornish vs Windsor vs Thornton vs Plainfield

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 homeowners (94.1%).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
Thornton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).

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.

MeasureCornishWindsorThorntonPlainfield
People
Population
1,816Lowest
3,554Highest
2,799
2,522
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
54±8.3Highest
39% above U.S.
44.8±6.5
15% above U.S.
51.1±3.4
31% above U.S.
38.9±6.5Lowest
about the U.S. average
Cornish and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.4%±3.2
U.S.: 22%
19.5%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
13.9%±4.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.4%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
Plainfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
27.3%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
29.7%±6.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19%±4.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.8%±4.5
U.S.: 17.2%
Windsor and Cornish 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%
39.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
46.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
46.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.4%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
0.7%±0.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,821±$2k
14% above U.S.
$52,484±$11kLowest
35% below U.S.
$90,022±$17k
12% above U.S.
$122,656±$13kHighest
52% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$296,000±$69k
11% below U.S.
$207,500±$31kLowest
38% below U.S.
$351,900±$20k
6% above U.S.
$442,400±$47kHighest
33% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,221±$227
14% below U.S.
$1,026±$89Lowest
27% below U.S.
$1,270±$428
10% below U.S.
$1,674±$181Highest
18% above U.S.
Plainfield and Thornton 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.
$5,209
67% above U.S.
$5,032Lowest
61% above U.S.
$7,904Highest
153% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
40.5%±38.1
U.S.: 51.1%
31.5%±17Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.7%±24.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
31.8%±23.1
U.S.: 51.1%
Thornton and Cornish 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%
7.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
9.2%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
57.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
88.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
87.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980
same as U.S.
1945Lowest
35 yrs older than U.S.
1984Highest
4 yrs newer than U.S.
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
8% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
22 minLowest
17% below U.S.
Work from home
12%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
10.3%±5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
29.8%±9.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.1%±8.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Thornton and Plainfield 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 — #61 of 70 in VT #18 of 120 in NH #19 of 120 in NH
School district Cornish School District — Thornton School District Plainfield School District
High school in town None in town — None in town None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 12 photos → 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.