Compare towns
Plainfield vs Westminster vs Madbury vs Chichester
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Westminster | Madbury | Chichester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
2,999Highest |
2,203Lowest |
2,745 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
43±3.3 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±4.4 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%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Westminster 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. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$109,297±$13k 35% 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. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$476,900±$31kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$409,300±$26k 23% 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±$181 18% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$2,055±$275Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Chichester and Plainfield 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. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,189 130% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±34.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chichester and Westminster 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% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Chichester 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | — | #75 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Chichester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.