Compare towns

Plainfield vs Sutton vs Eliot vs Cornish

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 38.9).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k 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.

MeasurePlainfieldSuttonEliotCornish
People
Population
2,522
2,239
7,146Highest
1,816Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-1.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
38.9±6.5Lowest
about the U.S. average
48.1±4.1
24% above U.S.
50.8±5.9
31% above U.S.
54±8.3Highest
39% above U.S.
Cornish and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.4%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±3.8
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9
U.S.: 22%
14.4%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Plainfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.8%±4.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21.6%±5.9
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.3%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Eliot and Cornish 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
U.S.: 35.7%
44.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
40.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.8%±2.3
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
1.4%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
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
52% above U.S.
$130,313±$31kHighest
61% above U.S.
$101,522±$10k
26% above U.S.
$91,821±$2kLowest
14% above U.S.
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±$47k
33% above U.S.
$362,600±$16k
9% above U.S.
$498,900±$62kHighest
50% above U.S.
$296,000±$69kLowest
11% below U.S.
Eliot and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,674±$181
18% above U.S.
$1,656±$614
17% above U.S.
$1,948±$471Highest
38% above U.S.
$1,221±$227Lowest
14% below U.S.
Eliot and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,904Highest
153% above U.S.
$7,652
145% above U.S.
$4,549Lowest
46% above U.S.
$5,796
86% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
31.8%±23.1
U.S.: 51.1%
27.6%±47.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
40.5%±38.1
U.S.: 51.1%
Eliot and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.2%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
94.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
1971Lowest
9 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1980Highest
same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
22 minLowest
17% below U.S.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
23 min
15% below U.S.
24 min
8% below U.S.
Work from home
18.1%±8.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.8%±5.6
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
12%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Plainfield and Eliot 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 — #19 of 133 in ME —
School district Plainfield School District Kearsarge Regional School District RSU 35/MSAD 35 Cornish School District
High school in town None in town Kearsarge Regional High School None in town None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.4
— —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet None yet

U.S. 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.