Compare towns
Clarendon vs Plainfield vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clarendon has the most affordable homes ($221k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Clarendon | Plainfield | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,460 |
2,522Highest |
1,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.3±4.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Clarendon and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Clarendon and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,609±$12kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,900±$32kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$305Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,740Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±27.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Clarendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 40% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Plainfield School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Mill River Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.