Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sutton vs Strafford 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).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k 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 | Sutton | Strafford | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
2,239Highest |
1,372 |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% 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% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 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% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% 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. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 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. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 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 | — | Kearsarge Regional School District | Strafford School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | 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.