Compare towns
Bow vs Cornish vs Hanover 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,816Lowest |
8,479Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest 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% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish 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% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest 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% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| Bow and Hanover 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 |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% 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% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover 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% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.4%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 |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
24 min 9% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Bow 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Cornish School District | — | 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 |
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.