Compare towns
Plainfield vs Wolfeboro vs Cornish vs Holderness
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Cornish | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
6,571Highest |
1,816Lowest |
1,917 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
54±8.3 25% above NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
| Wolfeboro and Cornish 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% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% NH: 40.6% |
45% NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$94,375±$22k 5% below NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
| Wolfeboro 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 12% above NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
| Holderness and Plainfield 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 |
$4,531 32% below NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Plainfield 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% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Plainfield 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Cornish School District | Holderness School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.