Compare towns
Bow vs Brookline vs Plainfield vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Brookline | Plainfield | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
5,736 |
2,522Lowest |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 75% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$122,656±$13kLowest 24% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$442,400±$47kLowest 10% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Brookline School District | Plainfield School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.