Compare towns
Plainfield vs Canaan vs Madbury
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%).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Canaan | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
3,811Highest |
2,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
44.4±3.7Highest about the NH average |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Canaan and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% NH: 40.6% |
28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Canaan 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±$13k 24% above NH |
$81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Plainfield and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 19% above NH |
$5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% NH: 7.2% |
13.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
77.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Canaan 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 | #83 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— |
| 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.