What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).

New London has the oldest population (median age 52.8).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	New London
People
Population	2,522Lowest	4,433Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4%Highest NH: +4.6%	+0.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH	52.8±6.7Highest 22% above NH
Kids under 18	23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2%	12%±3Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1%	37.5%±5.5Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6%	65.6%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6%	20.8%±2.1Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH	$107,773±$10kLowest 9% above NH
	Plainfield and New London 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	$554,100±$64kHighest 38% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH	$1,594±$551Lowest 7% above NH
	Plainfield and New London are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,904Highest 19% above NH	$6,325Lowest 5% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2%	71.8%±22.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	New London 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%	0.9%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8%	90.8%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977 2 yrs older than NH	1977 2 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 18% below NH	25 minHighest 8% below NH
Work from home	18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8%	14.7%±7.6Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Plainfield and New London 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	#17 of 120 in NH
School district	Plainfield School District	Kearsarge Regional School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.