Compare towns
Plainfield vs Dracut 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 most people working from home (18.1%).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
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 | Dracut | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
32,574Highest |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dracut and Plainfield 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. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Dracut 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. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Dracut 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. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Dracut 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. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Cornish 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% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Cornish 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Dracut | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.