Compare towns
Salisbury vs Windham 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
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Salisbury | Windham | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,609Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Windham 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 36% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Windham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | RSU 14 | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.