Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sutton vs Heath 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 homeowners (98%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Sutton | Heath | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616Lowest |
2,239Highest |
765 |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 30% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
53.8±11.9Highest 38% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Heath and Plainfield 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% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.6%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Heath and Plainfield 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% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Wendell 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$98,750±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$295,000±$45k 11% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558 9% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
— | $1,239±$519Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458 43% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,438Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,519 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Plainfield 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
35 min 32% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Kearsarge Regional School District | — | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | — | Kearsarge Regional 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 | 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.