Compare towns
Holderness vs Plaistow 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).
Plaistow has the most renters (21.9% rent).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Plaistow | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
7,861Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
40.1±3.7Highest 7% below NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Plaistow 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 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Plaistow 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% |
17.4%±3.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Plaistow 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 |
$108,317±$13k 9% above NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Plainfield and Plaistow 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 |
$404,500±$32k about the NH average |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
| Plainfield and Plaistow 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 |
$1,664±$187Lowest 12% above 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 |
$7,194 8% above NH |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.3%±16.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Plaistow 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% |
4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Plaistow 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 | — | #66 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Timberlane Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.