Compare towns
Holderness vs Lyme vs Plainfield vs Center Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
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 | Lyme | Plainfield | Center Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917 |
1,710 |
2,522Highest |
955Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH |
| Center Harbor and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Center Harbor and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
47.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Lyme 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 9% above NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$104,313±$16kLowest 5% above NH |
| Lyme and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$463,800±$74k 15% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% 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 | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$4,667 30% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | Holderness School District | Lyme School District | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school 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.