Compare towns
Plainfield vs Lebanon vs Eliot
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 most kids (23.4% under 18).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Lebanon | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
14,999Highest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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% |
14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Lebanon 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% |
57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon 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. |
$98,147±$10kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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 18% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 153% above U.S. |
$8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Lebanon School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | Lebanon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.