Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Plainfield vs Rochester
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 391Lowest |
2,522Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±3.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Pittsfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±8.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Pittsfield 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Pittsfield 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. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,300±$73k 6% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$140 27% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,181 66% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% 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% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.1%±24.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Pittsfield 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 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| 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.