Compare towns
Plainfield vs Lyme vs Madbury
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 affordable homes ($442k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Lyme | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Highest |
1,710Lowest |
2,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Lyme and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Plainfield 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme 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% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Madbury 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 |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Madbury and Lyme 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 |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Plainfield and Madbury 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme 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% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Lyme School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.