Compare towns
Plainfield vs Westminster vs Cornish vs Lebanon
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 kids (23.4% under 18).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | Westminster | Cornish | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
2,999 |
1,816Lowest |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Cornish and Westminster 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% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Westminster 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Cornish 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% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon 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. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Lebanon 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. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Lebanon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 153% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Lebanon 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% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Lebanon 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | — | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Cornish School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Lowest |
— | 11.7Highest |
| 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.