Compare towns
Chesterfield vs Plainfield vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterfield has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($442k median).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Chesterfield | Plainfield | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,622Highest |
2,522 |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±8.7 8% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±7.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Chesterfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.2% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,370±$40kLowest 3% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,500±$33k 7% below NH |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
| Plainfield and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,324±$1kLowest 11% below NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
| Plainfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,344Lowest 5% below NH |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.7%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Chesterfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Chesterfield 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 | #52 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Chesterfield School District | Plainfield School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.