Compare towns
Holderness vs Sutton 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
Sutton has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Sutton | Plainfield | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
2,239 |
2,522Highest |
2,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Sutton 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% |
44.3%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% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Sutton 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 |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Madbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
| Madbury 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 |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,574±$759Lowest 6% 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 |
$7,652 15% 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% |
27.6%±47.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Plainfield and Sutton 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% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%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 |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Sutton 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Plainfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.