Compare towns
Plainfield vs Dover vs Brookline vs Grantham
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Grantham has the oldest population (median age 50.4).
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 | Dover | Brookline | Grantham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
33,364Highest |
5,736 |
3,465 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13% NH: +4.6% |
+14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
50.4±7.5Highest 16% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±6.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline 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% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17%±6.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
59.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Dover 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 |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$106,403±$54k 7% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$343,100±$39kLowest 15% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
— |
| Brookline and Plainfield 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 |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,605Lowest 14% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
— |
| Dover 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% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6% NH: 7.2% |
0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
23 min 16% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±6.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH | #6 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Dover School District | Brookline School District | Grantham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.