Compare towns

Plainfield vs White River Junction vs Henniker

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 kids (23.4% under 18).
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasurePlainfieldWhite River JunctionHenniker
People
Population
2,522Lowest
3,364
6,197Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+27.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
38.9±6.5Highest
about the U.S. average
33.7±3.2
13% below U.S.
31.1±6.1Lowest
20% below U.S.
Plainfield and White River Junction 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%
17.1%±5
U.S.: 22%
15.3%±3.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Plainfield and White River Junction 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%
12.5%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.5%±6
U.S.: 17.2%
Plainfield and Henniker 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%
38.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
41.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.8%±2.3
U.S.: 6.4%
1.2%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
27%±6.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$122,656±$13kHighest
52% above U.S.
$77,168±$4kLowest
4% below U.S.
$95,206±$21k
18% above U.S.
Plainfield and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$442,400±$47kHighest
33% above U.S.
$278,800±$78kLowest
16% below U.S.
$356,700±$49k
7% above U.S.
Plainfield and Henniker 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.
$1,222±$216
14% below U.S.
$1,081±$164Lowest
23% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,904
153% above U.S.
$5,651Lowest
81% above U.S.
$8,877Highest
185% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
31.8%±23.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.9%±17.3
U.S.: 51.1%
43.5%±22.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Henniker and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
43.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1963Lowest
17 yrs older than U.S.
1974
6 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
22 minHighest
17% below U.S.
15 minLowest
42% below U.S.
20 min
23% below U.S.
Work from home
18.1%±8.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.7%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
15.5%±5.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Plainfield and White River Junction 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 — #56 of 120 in NH
School district Plainfield School District — Henniker School District
High school in town None in town — None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.