Compare towns
Plainfield vs Lenox 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Lenox has the most renters (28.6% rent).
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 | Lenox | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
5,079Highest |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
60.1±4.3Highest 54% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
| Lenox and Cornish 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% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Cornish 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% |
40.1%±7.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Lenox 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. |
$106,080±$31k 31% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Lenox 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. |
$466,700±$43kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Lenox and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,091±$238Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,299Lowest 70% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.2%±18.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lenox 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% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lenox 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 | #90 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Lenox | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Lenox Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.6 |
— |
| 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.