Compare towns
Plainfield vs Dover vs Montgomery vs Brookfield
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 affordable homes ($318k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Montgomery has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Dover | Montgomery | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
33,364Highest |
1,047Lowest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
51.5±11.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montgomery and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$323,200±$45k about the U.S. average |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$868±$209Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 54% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,326Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.6%±68Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
37 min 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Dover 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.