Compare towns
Durham vs New Gloucester vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
New Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | New Gloucester | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
5,766 |
2,522Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
40.1±5.5Highest 3% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| New Gloucester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and New Gloucester 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$108,797±$12kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
| Durham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Durham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Durham 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 221% above U.S. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | 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.