Compare towns
Plainfield vs Strafford vs Sutton 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 renters (19.1% rent).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Strafford | Sutton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
1,372 |
2,239Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Strafford 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% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Sutton 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. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Strafford 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. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Strafford 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Strafford School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.