Compare towns
Plainfield vs Eliot vs Lyme vs Sanbornton
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).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Eliot | Lyme | Sanbornton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
7,146Highest |
1,710Lowest |
3,053 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
41.9±5.4 8% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Lyme 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Lyme 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Lyme 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% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Lyme 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 52% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$113,750±$41k 41% above U.S. |
| Lyme 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±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$452,300±$30k 36% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,289±$198Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,731 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.3%±23.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #42 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Lyme School District | Winnisquam Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.