Compare towns
Plainfield vs Brandon vs Charleston
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 highest household income ($123k).
Brandon has the most affordable homes ($228k median).
Charleston has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Brandon | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
4,120Highest |
936Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.1±3.1 29% above U.S. |
58.4±9.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Charleston and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
37.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Charleston 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 52% above U.S. |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
$49,286±$17kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$227,800±$23kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,064±$225 25% below U.S. |
$979±$444Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,241 36% above U.S. |
$3,750Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±26.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brandon and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Charleston and Plainfield 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Charleston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.