Compare towns
Durham vs Plainfield vs Eliot
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).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Plainfield | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
2,522Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Eliot 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Plainfield 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% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% 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. |
$442,400±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Durham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Plainfield 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. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Eliot 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Plainfield School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | — |
| 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.