Compare towns
Plainfield vs Epping vs Durham
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).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
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 | Epping | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
7,430 |
10,681Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Epping 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Plainfield 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% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| Plainfield and Durham 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 |
$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
| Durham and Plainfield 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 |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Epping 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 |
$6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Durham 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Epping School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— |
| 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.