Compare towns
Brookfield vs Sunapee 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
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
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 | Brookfield | Sunapee | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
3,416Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Brookfield 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% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee 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. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Sunapee 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 |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Sunapee 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% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 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 | — | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Sunapee School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.