Compare towns
Madbury vs Hartford vs Lee vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Plainfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
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 | Madbury | Hartford | Lee | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
10,736Highest |
4,576 |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| Hartford and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
| Madbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$480,600±$61kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Lee and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
— | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hartford and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee 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 | — | #34 of 70 in VT | #3 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Hartford School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hartford High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → | None yet |
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.