Compare towns
Plainfield vs Keene vs Durham
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).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Keene | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
22,939Highest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Highest 10% below NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Plainfield and Keene 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% |
14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Keene 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% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| Plainfield and Durham 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 |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
| Durham and Plainfield 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 |
$1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 19% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Keene 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% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 18% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Keene School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| 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.