Compare towns
Kensington vs Eliot vs Plainfield vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kensington has the most expensive homes ($658k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 38.9).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Kensington | Eliot | Plainfield | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,009Lowest |
7,146Highest |
2,522 |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±5.9 11% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,083±$18kHighest 104% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
| Kensington and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,813±$627 28% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181Lowest 18% above U.S. |
— |
| Eliot and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,637 209% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Kensington 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 | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kensington School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | 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 | 10 photos → |
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.