Compare towns
Plainfield vs Meredith vs Hanover
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 kids (23.4% under 18).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Meredith | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
6,758 |
8,479Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
| Hanover 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 |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 19% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.