Compare towns
Plainfield vs Lee vs Amherst
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Lee | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
4,576 |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Lee 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% |
21.9%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Amherst 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% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Amherst 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% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Lee 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±$13kLowest 24% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
| Amherst and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kLowest 10% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Amherst and Lee 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 |
— | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Plainfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lee and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.