Compare towns
Hancock vs Cornish vs Thornton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
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 | Hancock | Cornish | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,791Lowest |
1,816 |
2,799Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±4.5 24% above NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
51.1±3.4Lowest 18% above NH |
| Cornish and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Hancock and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hancock and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Thornton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,208±$15kHighest 4% below NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
| Hancock and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$22kHighest 8% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$351,900±$20k 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$650Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,270±$428Highest 15% below NH |
| Thornton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Highest 3% above NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.4%±55.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
9.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
88.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Cornish School District | Thornton 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 |
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.