Compare towns
Effingham vs Cornish vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Middleton has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Effingham | Cornish | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,912Highest |
1,803 |
1,595Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.9±12.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
39±8.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.5±5.7 12% above U.S. |
| Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middleton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,607±$14k 5% below U.S. |
$69,038±$4kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$101,696±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,700±$30kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$274,200±$84kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$312,300±$27k 6% below U.S. |
| Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,090±$121Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,196±$148 15% below U.S. |
$1,500±$293Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 66% above U.S. |
$2,309Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$5,504Highest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 19% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | — | Middleton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.

