Compare towns
Holderness vs Madbury vs Eliot 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).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
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 | Madbury | Eliot | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
2,203 |
7,146Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above 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% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and Plainfield 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% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 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% |
52.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Madbury 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. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
| Madbury 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 9% above U.S. |
$476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Madbury 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. |
$1,574±$759Lowest 11% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Eliot 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 | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | 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 |
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.