Compare towns
Exeter vs Waltham 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
Exeter has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
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 | Exeter | Waltham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 913 |
452Lowest |
1,016Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Waltham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
$97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$70,673±$6kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Waltham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$89k 27% below U.S. |
$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average |
$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Waltham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$44 39% below U.S. |
$1,096±$113Highest 22% below U.S. |
$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,926 6% below U.S. |
$5,714Highest 83% above U.S. |
$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waltham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.