Compare towns
Grantham vs Cornish vs Brookline 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Plainfield has the most renters (12.7% rent).
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 | Brookline | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,465 |
1,816Lowest |
5,736Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.4±7.5 16% above NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
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% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Plainfield 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% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest 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% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±6 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Brookline 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 |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,100±$39k 15% below NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
| Brookline 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest 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% |
0.6% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 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 |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.8%±6.2 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Grantham School District | Cornish School District | Brookline 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.