What stands out worked out from the figures below

Francestown has the most people working from home (27.4%).

Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Francestown	Plainfield
People
Population	1,398Lowest	2,522Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	51.2±4.5Highest 18% above NH	38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2%
	Plainfield and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.7%±2.6Highest NH: 20.1%	19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Francestown and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.9%Highest NH: 40.6%	46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%	4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6%
	Plainfield and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,063±$16kLowest 5% above NH	$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH
	Plainfield and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$408,200±$34kLowest about the NH average	$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH
	Plainfield and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,358±$256Lowest 9% below NH	$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH
	Plainfield and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,014Highest 20% above NH	$7,904Lowest 19% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±77Highest NH: 48.2%	31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Francestown and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest NH: 7.2%	5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.3%Highest NH: 72.8%	87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH	1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	42 minHighest 57% above NH	22 minLowest 18% below NH
Work from home	27.4%±7.7Highest NH: 16.8%	18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Francestown 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	—	#19 of 120 in NH
School district	Contoocook Valley School District	Plainfield School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

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.