Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from constituent census tracts, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
34.9%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Plainfield, NH, tenants prevail in roughly 34.9% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
59d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Plainfield, NH until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 59 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$2.5–6.6k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Plainfield, NH costs landlords $2,520 to $6,562 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,600
23% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Plainfield, NH is $1,600 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 23% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
43.2%
of households
43.2% of occupied housing units in Plainfield, NH are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
4.9%
3.1% unemp.
4.9% of Plainfield, NH residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 3.1%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
GOP margin +0.7% (2024)
5.7
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
5.7
State political climate
New Hampshire legislature & governorship
3.6
Economic stress
4.9% poverty · 3.1% unemp.
1.0
Supply constraint
$1,600 average · 43.2% renters
8.3
Rent Control risk
23.2% of income on rent
2.4
Eviction process difficulty
59 days filing → judgment
3.0
Tenant organizing strength
43.2% renters
7.7
Housing court bias
County bench composition
1.7
Geographic context
Risk heat across Plainfield and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Plainfield compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Sullivan County
Very Low
#4of 4 cities
#4 of 4 cities in Sullivan County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in New Hampshire
Very Low
#99of 100 cities
#99 of 100 cities in New Hampshire for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
3.5
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 3.5/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+1.1 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
59d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,600/mo. A contested eviction takes 59 days and costs $2,520–$6,562 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
43.2%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 220 residents, 43.2% rent. 23% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 4.9% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
5.7
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 5.7 and 5.7 (GOP margin +0.7% (2024)). State climate at 3.6, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
3.6
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 3.6/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 3, housing court bias 1.7, rent-control risk 2.4. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-2.0 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
1
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 1. Supply constraint: 8.3. The numbers behind those: 4.9% poverty, 3.1% unemployment, 23% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Plainfield sits in the slow but cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Plainfield · 59d · ~$4.5k all-in ($77/day) · score 3.5National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Plainfield, New Hampshire, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 3.5/10 (LOW tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Plainfield is a city of 220 residents where 43.2% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 23.2% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,600/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Plainfield eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 3/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Plainfield closes 59 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Plainfield's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 1.7/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Plainfield runs $2,520 to $6,562 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 59 days of typical timeline and $1,600/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 7.7/10 in Plainfield, and the city has limited rent control exposure (2.4/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In New Hampshire, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Plainfield: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a LOW tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match New Hampshire's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $6,562 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Plainfield
Trap · 3.6 POINTS
Politically, Sullivan County voted Democratic by 3.6 points in 2020, a baseline that correlates with tenant-protective legislative pressure. Combined with 23.2% rent-to-income ratio, expect baseline enforcement of RSA 540 + RSA 354-A:10.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my tenant claims they can't pay due to a job loss?
While unfortunate, a job loss does not legally excuse a tenant from their obligation to pay rent in New Hampshire. You still follow the same 7-day pay-or-quit notice procedure. You can, of course, choose to work with them on a payment plan, but this is a business decision, not a legal requirement. Any agreement should be in writing.
Q2
Can I turn off utilities if a tenant won't leave after an eviction notice?
Absolutely not. Turning off utilities, changing locks, or removing a tenant's belongings are all considered illegal self-help evictions in New Hampshire. These actions can result in severe legal penalties for you, including fines and having to pay the tenant damages. Always follow the legal eviction process through the courts and the sheriff.
Q3
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Plainfield?
While you are not legally required to have an attorney for a residential eviction in New Hampshire, it is highly recommended. The legal process has specific requirements for notices, filings, and court procedures. Mistakes can lead to delays, dismissal of your case, and additional costs. An attorney specializing in landlord-tenant law can navigate these complexities efficiently.
Q4
How quickly can I re-rent my property after an eviction?
Once you legally regain possession of the property (after the tenant vacates or the sheriff performs a lockout), you can begin preparing it for a new tenant immediately. The goal is to minimize vacancy. Conduct inspections, make necessary repairs, and start advertising. Remember to properly handle any abandoned property according to New Hampshire law.
Q5
What if the tenant damages the property during the eviction?
Document all damages with photos and videos immediately after you regain possession. You can deduct the cost of repairs for damages beyond normal wear and tear from the security deposit. If the damages exceed the deposit amount, you may pursue the tenant in small claims court for the difference. Keep all receipts for repairs.
A 3.5/10 places Plainfield in the 2nd percentile of New Hampshire cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Plainfield (3.5/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
