Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Strafford
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%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Strafford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Plainfield | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,314Lowest |
4,306Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
46.3±2.1Lowest 19% 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%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Strafford 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% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$122,105±$22kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Brookfield 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 |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$427,900±$29kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,635±$246Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$6,086Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
36 min 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield 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 | — | — | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Strafford 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.