The Town FilesCornish, New Hampshire
Town in Sullivan County · population 1,616 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $296,000
- Household income
- $91,821
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 66 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 54.0
Cornish is a town of 1,616 people in Sullivan County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $296,000, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks better for families than 87% of New Hampshire towns, more of a college town than 84% of New Hampshire towns, better for retirees than 80% of New Hampshire towns.
How Cornish ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cornish is worth $296,000, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $91,821, which is more affordable than 83% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,221 a month. 94.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cornish | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $296,000 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | $1,221 | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $91,821 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.1% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.8% | — |
Who lives in Cornish
| People | Cornish | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.0 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.3% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 14.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.6% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 12.0% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.1% | 92.5% |
Weather in Cornish
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 9.1°F. About 42.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 66.1 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 186 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cornish since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 9, 1962 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 16, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 27, 2007.
Severe weather in Sullivan County since 1996
Sullivan County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 10, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4799: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 4, 2021 | Flood | DR-4624: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Sullivan County
Sullivan County had 13,867 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,062 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Cornish itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Cornish
1 public school with 136 students, about 9.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornish Elementary School | PK-8 | 136 | 9.1 |
Towns near Cornish
- Windsor, VT4.0 mi · 2,139 people · home $170,300
- Plainfield, NH5.0 mi · 2,459 people · home $442,400
- Windsor, VT5.5 mi · 3,559 people · home $207,500
- Claremont, NH6.1 mi · 12,949 people · home $204,600
- Ascutney, VT6.5 mi · 529 people · home $218,800
- Croydon, NH7.0 mi · 801 people · home $317,300
- Grantham, NH8.7 mi · 3,404 people · home $343,100
- Newport, NH8.9 mi · 6,299 people · home $225,900
Cornish questions
Is Cornish, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cornish scores better for retirees than 80% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 57%. 27.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.0).
How much does a house cost in Cornish?
The median owner-occupied home in Cornish is valued at $296,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,821, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,221 a month.
What is the weather like in Cornish?
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 9.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.0 inches of precipitation a year and 66.1 inches of snow.
Does Cornish get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cornish since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 9, 1962. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)