Compare towns
Plainfield vs Lee vs Center Harbor
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 people working from home (27.6%).
Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
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 | Center Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
4,576Highest |
955Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Lee 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%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Center Harbor and Lee 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
47.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest 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±$13k 24% above NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$104,313±$16kLowest 5% above NH |
| Lee and Plainfield 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±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$463,800±$74k 15% above NH |
| Lee and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 12% above NH |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 19% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$4,667Lowest 30% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
14.3%±59.4Lowest 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% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.