Compare towns
Derry vs Holderness vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Derry has the most renters (29.8% rent).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 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 | Derry | Holderness | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 34,116Highest |
1,917Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.3±1.6Highest 7% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Derry and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Derry and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,944±$7k 10% above NH |
$107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Plainfield and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
| Plainfield and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,547±$138Lowest 4% above NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
| Holderness and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,103Highest 22% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Derry 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 | #60 of 120 in NH | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Holderness School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Pinkerton Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.9 |
— | — |
| 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.