Compare towns
Rochester vs Plainfield vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k 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 | Rochester | Plainfield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
2,522Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 28% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Braintree 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Plainfield School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.