Compare towns
Holderness vs Nottingham vs Plainfield vs Madbury
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).
Nottingham has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Madbury has the most kids (29% 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 | Nottingham | Plainfield | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
5,357Highest |
2,522 |
2,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4Highest 9% below NH |
38.8±6.7 10% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Holderness and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.4%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Nottingham 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±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$122,201±$20k 23% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| 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 10% below NH |
$457,500±$26k 14% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
| Madbury and Nottingham 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 |
$2,068±$1kHighest 39% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$7,319 10% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Nottingham 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
94.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1992Highest 13 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Nottingham 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 | — | #15 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Holderness School District | Nottingham School District | Plainfield School District | Oyster River Coop 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 |
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.