Compare towns
Grantham vs Cornish vs Auburn 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
Grantham has the most homeowners (100%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Auburn has the most people working from home (26.5%).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Grantham | Cornish | Auburn | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,465 |
1,816Lowest |
6,119Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.4±7.5 16% above NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Cornish and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17%±6.9 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±6 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,403±$54k 7% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,100±$39k 15% below NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
| Auburn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,605 14% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,092Highest 21% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.5% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 16% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.8%±6.2 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn 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 | #6 of 120 in NH | — | #44 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Grantham School District | Cornish School District | Auburn School District | Plainfield 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.