Compare towns
Dorchester vs Madbury 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
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Dorchester | Madbury | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
2,203 |
2,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$122,656±$13kLowest 24% above NH |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
| Plainfield and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Plainfield and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Madbury 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 | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.