Compare towns
Plainfield vs Portsmouth vs Grantham
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).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Grantham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
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 | Portsmouth | Grantham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
22,545Highest |
3,465 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
50.4±7.5Highest 16% above NH |
| Grantham and Portsmouth 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% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±6.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Grantham 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% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
17%±6.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth 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% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$106,403±$54k 7% above NH |
| Plainfield and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$343,100±$39kLowest 15% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Lowest 12% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
— |
| Portsmouth and Plainfield 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 |
$8,018Highest 20% above NH |
$7,605Lowest 14% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
— |
| Portsmouth and Plainfield 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% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
23 minHighest 16% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±6.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #6 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Portsmouth School District | Grantham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.