Compare towns
Holderness vs Meredith vs Freedom 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
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Freedom has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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 | Meredith | Freedom | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917 |
6,758Highest |
1,494Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
60.6±3.2Highest 40% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Freedom and Meredith 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% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Holderness 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% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
40.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Freedom and Meredith 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 NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
39.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Meredith 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 |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$66,136±$14kLowest 33% 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 | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$389,000±$43k 3% below NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Meredith 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 39% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% 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 | $3,923 41% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$3,478Lowest 48% below NH |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
79.6%±75Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Freedom and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.5%±7.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Freedom 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Freedom School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.