Compare towns
Grafton vs Plainfield vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most homeowners (89.9%).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Grafton | Plainfield | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666 |
2,522Highest |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 59.2±4.4 52% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 5.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
39%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Grafton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,111±$7kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$97,500±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,200±$85k 3% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$329,700±$51kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,288±$174 9% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,096±$113Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,843Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,714 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±69.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Grafton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waltham 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 | Athens Grafton 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 | 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.