Compare towns
Plainfield vs Hartford vs St. Albans
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 highest household income ($123k).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% 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 | Hartford | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
10,736Highest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hartford 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 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hartford and Plainfield 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 52% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Hartford 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Hartford School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Hartford High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.