Compare towns
Plainfield vs Epping vs Exeter vs Sanbornton
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 the most people working from home (24%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Exeter | Sanbornton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
7,430 |
16,151Highest |
3,053 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.9±5.4 3% below NH |
| Exeter and Epping 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.1%±5.5 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%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.5%±4.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Epping 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% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.9%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$113,750±$41k 15% above NH |
| Plainfield and Sanbornton 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 |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$452,300±$30k 12% above NH |
| Exeter and Sanbornton 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±$576 17% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,289±$198Lowest 14% below NH |
| Exeter and Epping 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 |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$5,731Lowest 14% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
29.3%±23.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
85.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.8%±6.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #42 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Epping School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Winnisquam Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 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.