Compare towns
Plainfield vs Pelham vs Wendell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).
Wendell has the most affordable homes ($290k 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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Pelham | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Lowest |
14,449Highest |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Wendell 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% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$290,300±$31kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558 9% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,239±$519Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Pelham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$4,519 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Pelham 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Pelham School District | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | — | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.