Compare towns
Plainfield vs Lee vs Canterbury vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Lee | Canterbury | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
4,576Highest |
2,353 |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.6% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
48.6±3.8 12% above NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
| Cornish and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
22.9%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
49.3% NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.8%±3Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Canterbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$129,333±$37k 31% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
| Lee and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$443,700±$21k 10% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
| Lee and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 12% above NH |
— | $2,136±$233Highest 43% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 19% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$7,421 11% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
71.7%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Canterbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.7% NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.6%±7.4 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Canterbury 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Shaker Regional School District | Cornish 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 | 10 photos → | 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.