Compare towns
Grantham vs Wakefield 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
Grantham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Wakefield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,465 |
27,793Highest |
2,522Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±7.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Grantham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,403±$54kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,100±$39kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,605Lowest 144% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | #6 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Grantham School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.