Compare towns
Plainfield vs Exeter vs Groton 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Groton has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
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 | Exeter | Groton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
16,151Highest |
967Lowest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.7±5.8Lowest 17% above U.S. |
47±5.9 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% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.3%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Exeter 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Groton and Exeter 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$77,250±$14k 4% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$243,000±$70kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$288±$151Lowest 80% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 54% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,659Lowest 17% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
12.5%±72.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Exeter 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.