Compare towns
Barnet vs Plainfield vs Sharon vs Wallingford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Wallingford has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
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 | Barnet | Plainfield | Sharon | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,855 |
2,522Highest |
1,577Lowest |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Highest 23% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8 18% above U.S. |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
$80,230±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72 31% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$891±$95Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489 44% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
$4,355Lowest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnet and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Barnet 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 | — | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Plainfield School District | Sharon School District | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.