Compare towns
Plainfield vs Webster vs Sutton vs Cornish
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 expensive homes ($442k median).
Webster has the most homeowners (96%).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Webster | Sutton | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522Highest |
2,227 |
2,239 |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
44.7±7.6 3% above NH |
48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
| Cornish and Sutton 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% |
22.6%±8 NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Webster 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% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish 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% |
30.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest 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 |
$107,171±$14k 8% above NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% 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 |
$338,500±$30k 16% below NH |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,396±$622 6% below NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% 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 |
$6,021 10% below NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
53.6%±71Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Webster and Cornish 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% |
9.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.7% NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
31 minHighest 14% above NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.1%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Webster 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.