Compare towns
Grantham vs Holderness vs Cornish vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grantham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
Holderness has the most renters (16.3% rent).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Grantham | Holderness | Cornish | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,465Highest |
1,917 |
1,816Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.4±7.5 16% above NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Cornish and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17%±6.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±6Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,403±$54k 7% above NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,100±$39k 15% below NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
| Holderness and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,605 14% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 16% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
24 min 9% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.8%±6.2 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Grantham 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 | #6 of 120 in NH | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Grantham School District | Holderness School District | Cornish School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.