Compare towns
Salisbury vs Cornish vs Franklin vs Lyndeborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Cornish has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Franklin has the most renters (35.8% rent).
Lyndeborough has the most expensive homes ($391k 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 | Salisbury | Cornish | Franklin | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,609Lowest |
1,816 |
8,799Highest |
1,616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
42.7±2Lowest about the NH average |
50±3.2 15% above NH |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.8%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Salisbury and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.3%±3.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
19.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.2%±1.4 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Lyndeborough and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,591±$17k 13% above NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$71,648±$4kLowest 28% below NH |
$116,964±$17kHighest 18% above NH |
| Lyndeborough and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
$296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
$262,200±$22kLowest 35% below NH |
$390,900±$26kHighest about the NH average |
| Lyndeborough and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
$1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,110±$68Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,482±$457 about the NH average |
| Salisbury and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,859 12% below NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
$4,886Lowest 27% below NH |
$7,133Highest 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.8%±11.5 NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±90Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
32 min 18% above NH |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
| Work from home | 23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
8.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury and Lyndeborough 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 | — | — | #112 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | Cornish School District | Franklin School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Franklin High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 16.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.