Compare towns
Plainfield vs Williston 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 highest household income ($123k).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Lebanon has the most renters (48.8% rent).
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 | Williston | Cornish | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
10,144 |
1,816Lowest |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Lebanon 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% |
54.9% 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% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon 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. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% 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. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$385,400±$29k 16% above 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. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
| Williston and Lebanon 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. |
$5,592Lowest 79% 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% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% 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. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
20 min 25% 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% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon and Williston 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 | — | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Cornish School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.7 |
| 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.