Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sutton vs Bristol
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 people working from home (18.1%).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($258k 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 | Sutton | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
2,239Lowest |
3,273Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
42.7±5.7 about the NH average |
| Sutton and Bristol 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% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bristol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bristol and Sutton 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% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
35.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$78,438±$10kLowest 21% below NH |
| Sutton 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±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
$258,300±$63kLowest 36% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
$1,310±$97Lowest 12% below NH |
| Plainfield and Sutton 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 |
$7,652 15% above NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bristol 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% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Sutton 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 | — | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| 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.