Compare towns
Plainfield vs Epping vs Brookfield vs Worcester
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 (24 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Epping | Brookfield | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
7,430Highest |
1,486 |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield 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% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Epping 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% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Epping 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% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Epping and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
| Epping and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 54% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Epping 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— | — |
| 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.