Compare towns
Plainfield vs Hampton Beach vs Meredith
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).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Hampton Beach | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
2,605 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith 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% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Meredith 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 |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kLowest 10% above NH |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,375±$130 8% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Plainfield and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 19% above NH |
$6,115 8% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| 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.