Compare towns
Plainfield vs Durham vs Bedford vs Hartland
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 most kids (23.4% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Hartland has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Bedford | Hartland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
15,080 |
23,746Highest |
3,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
55.8±5.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartland and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$86,136±$23kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$348,600±$39kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
— |
| Bedford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 153% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
$6,437Lowest 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.1%±89.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #29 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Bedford School District | Hartland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Bedford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.