Compare towns
Plainfield vs Grantham vs Ashland
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 people working from home (18.1%).
Grantham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
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 | Grantham | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
3,465Highest |
2,183Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
50.4±7.5Highest 16% above NH |
42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
| Grantham and Ashland 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% |
19.1%±6.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Ashland 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% |
17%±6.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Ashland 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% |
59.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±6Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$106,403±$54k 7% above NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
| Plainfield and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
$343,100±$39k 15% below NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
— | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 19% above NH |
$7,605 14% above NH |
$4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
— | 39.1%±14.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Ashland and Plainfield 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% |
0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% NH: 72.8% |
100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
23 min 16% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±6.2 NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Grantham 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 | #6 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Grantham School District | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.