Compare towns
Plainfield vs Durham vs Durham vs Holderness
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 kids (23.4% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Durham has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Durham | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
10,681 |
15,080Highest |
1,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
39.4±7.4Highest 9% below NH |
| Holderness 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
| Durham 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 |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
| Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
| Holderness 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Durham 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% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Holderness School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.