Compare towns
Brookline vs Panton 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
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
Panton has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Brookline | Panton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
690 |
2,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
42.7±3.8 10% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Brookline and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Panton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$86,667±$10k 7% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$438,000±$40k 32% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,410±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$6,695 115% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
61%±39Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Panton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Panton and Brookline 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 | — | — | Plainfield School District |
| High school 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.