Compare towns
Holderness vs Eliot vs Dover 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
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Holderness | Eliot | Dover | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
7,146 |
33,364Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 34% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Holderness and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover 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 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Dover School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.