Compare towns
Plainfield vs Windsor vs Sunapee 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%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
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 | Windsor | Sunapee | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
3,554Highest |
3,416 |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
| Sunapee 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% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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% |
29.7%±6.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Windsor 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% |
39.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Sunapee 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. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Sunapee 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. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
| Sunapee 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. |
$5,209 67% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Sunapee 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 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. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Sunapee School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.