Compare towns
Plainfield vs Holderness vs Exeter
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).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Holderness | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
1,917Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Holderness 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% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Exeter 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% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter 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 24% above NH |
$107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Plainfield and Exeter 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 |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
| Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Lowest 12% above NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Holderness and Exeter 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 |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Holderness School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.