Compare towns
Plainfield vs Meredith vs Kingston
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Kingston has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
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 | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
6,758Highest |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$105,330±$12k 6% above NH |
| Plainfield and Kingston 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 |
$492,900±$58kHighest 22% above NH |
| Kingston and Meredith 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 |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
| Plainfield and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 19% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$7,906Highest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
74.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.