What stands out worked out from the figures below

Nashua has the most people working from home (17.4%).

Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Nashua	Plainfield
People
Population	91,294Highest	15,141Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	40±1.3Highest about the U.S. average	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
	Nashua and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Nashua and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,326±$5kHighest 19% above U.S.	$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$403,900±$11kHighest 21% above U.S.	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S.	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,799Highest 118% above U.S.	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Nashua and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	17.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#67 of 120 in NH	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Nashua School District	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Nashua High School South	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	10.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	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.