Compare towns
Fletcher vs Plainfield vs Walden vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fletcher has the most kids (19% under 18).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Fletcher | Plainfield | Walden | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,196 |
1,016Lowest |
1,037 |
1,200Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.7±7.3 25% above U.S. |
34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Fletcher and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,833±$9kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$70,673±$6kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
| Fletcher and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,100±$37k 9% below U.S. |
$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$306,900±$51kHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$427Highest 19% above U.S. |
$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
| Fletcher and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,965Highest 59% above U.S. |
$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±78.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Fletcher School District | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.