Compare towns
Plainfield vs Bellows Falls vs Williston vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
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 | Plainfield | Bellows Falls | Williston | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
2,891 |
10,144Highest |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
| Williston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
| Williston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Cornish 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 | 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.