What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).

Barnstead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).

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	Plainfield	Barnstead
People
Population	2,522Lowest	4,994Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+7%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH	42.8±3.1Highest about the NH average
	Barnstead and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2%	21%±5Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Plainfield and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1%	20.6%±4.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Barnstead and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6%	5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6%
	Barnstead and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH	$111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH
	Plainfield and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH	$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH	$1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,904Highest 19% above NH	$6,003Lowest 10% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2%	47.6%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2%
	Barnstead and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Highest NH: 7.2%	3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8%	93.6%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 18% below NH	31 minHighest 16% above NH
Work from home	18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8%	13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Plainfield and Barnstead 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	#111 of 120 in NH
School district	Plainfield School District	Barnstead School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

NH 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.