Compare towns
Plainfield vs Berlin vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Berlin has the most affordable homes ($131k 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 | Berlin | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
9,383Highest |
8,799 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-6.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
44.6±2.8Highest 3% above NH |
42.7±2 about the NH average |
| Berlin and Franklin 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% |
17.2%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.8%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Franklin 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% |
20.1%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
21.3%±3.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Franklin and Berlin 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% |
14.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
19.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.2%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Franklin 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 |
$45,180±$5kLowest 54% below NH |
$71,648±$4k 28% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
$131,000±$15kLowest 67% below NH |
$262,200±$22k 35% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$815±$141Lowest 45% below NH |
$1,110±$68 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 19% above NH |
$3,437Lowest 48% below NH |
$4,886 27% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.7%±12Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.8%±11.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Berlin and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1938Lowest 41 yrs older than NH |
1959 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below NH |
19 minLowest 30% below NH |
32 minHighest 18% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
3.5%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
8.3%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Franklin 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 | #108 of 120 in NH | #112 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Berlin School District | Franklin School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Berlin Senior High School | Franklin High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2Lowest |
16.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.