Compare towns
Bow vs Cornish vs Exeter vs Plainfield
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).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Cornish | Exeter | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,816Lowest |
16,151Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Cornish and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Exeter 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 NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Exeter 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 |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Bow and Exeter 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 |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
| Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
24 min 9% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Cornish School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.