Compare towns
Madbury vs Plainfield vs Plymouth vs South Hampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
South Hampton has the most expensive homes ($661k median).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plainfield | Plymouth | South Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203 |
2,522 |
6,601Highest |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
45.1±5.3Highest 4% above NH |
| South Hampton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.3%±5.8 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+ | 14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$152,500±$44kHighest 54% above NH |
| South Hampton and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$661,100±$45kHighest 64% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,889±$489Highest 27% above NH |
| South Hampton and Plainfield 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 50% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$9,109 37% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
30%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Plymouth and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and South Hampton 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Plainfield School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | South Hampton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.