Compare towns
Durham vs Milford vs Plainfield vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most renters (46.4% rent).
Milford has the most affordable homes ($399k median).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Durham has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Milford | Plainfield | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,681 |
16,337Highest |
2,522Lowest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
36.8±2.5 15% below NH |
38.9±6.5Highest 10% below NH |
20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
| Plainfield and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$97,768±$14kLowest about the NH average |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
| Durham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$398,800±$20kLowest about the NH average |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
| Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,661±$126 11% above NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Plainfield and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,522Lowest 13% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
22 min 18% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Milford School District | Plainfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | — | Milford High School | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.