Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Plainfield vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most people working from home (28.1%).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Reading has the oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
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 | Pittsfield | Plainfield | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 391Lowest |
2,522Highest |
699 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±3.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
| Pittsfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±8.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pittsfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,852±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,300±$73kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$140Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,181Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.6%±43 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.1%±24.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pittsfield and Reading 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 | — | Plainfield School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.