Compare towns
Plainfield vs Townsend vs Madbury
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 most people working from home (18.1%).
Townsend has the oldest population (median age 40.9).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Townsend | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
9,100Highest |
2,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S. |
37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Madbury 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. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$476,900±$31kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 153% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Madbury 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | North Middlesex | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.