Compare towns
Braintree vs Hooksett vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Braintree | Hooksett | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
15,057Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Hooksett and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Plainfield 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 | — | #30 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Hooksett School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.