Compare towns
Brookfield vs Durham vs Plainfield vs Elmore
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Elmore has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brookfield | Durham | Plainfield | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
15,080Highest |
1,314 |
964Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
45±3.5 16% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±9.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Elmore and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$98,750±$24k 22% above U.S. |
| Durham and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$315,800±$47kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,225±$263 13% below U.S. |
| Durham and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$5,066 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±65.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Oyster River Coop School District | — | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.