Compare towns
Bow vs Berwick vs Plainfield vs Suncook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% rent).
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 | Bow | Berwick | Plainfield | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
8,175 |
2,522Lowest |
5,432 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9 5% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
37.9±8.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24k 17% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$79,836±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19k 11% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$361,100±$22kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,452±$430 about the U.S. average |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,091±$317Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$6,975 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berwick and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Berwick 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #101 of 133 in ME | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.