Compare towns
Plainfield vs Londonderry 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).
Londonderry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).
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 | Londonderry | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
26,685Highest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
42.7±0.9 about the NH average |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Londonderry 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% |
20.6%±2.1Lowest 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%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Plainfield 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% |
47.6% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±1Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kLowest 24% above NH |
$132,556±$14k 34% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
| Amherst and Londonderry 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 |
$505,200±$20k 26% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Amherst and Londonderry 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 |
$1,803±$154Highest 21% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Londonderry and Plainfield 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 |
$8,069 21% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±7.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Londonderry 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% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% NH: 72.8% |
85.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
29 min 7% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 120 in NH | #37 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Londonderry School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Londonderry Senior High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.