Compare towns
Bow vs Cornish vs Plainfield vs Rollinsford
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 oldest population (median age 54).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Rollinsford has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Plainfield | Rollinsford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,816Lowest |
2,522 |
2,626 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
38.8±5.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±4.8 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% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.9 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| 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 75% above NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$89,500±$26kLowest 10% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$398,100±$33k about the NH average |
| 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 3% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,809±$394Highest 21% above NH |
| Rollinsford 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 |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$6,851 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±26.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Rollinsford 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% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
78.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
24 min 9% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Rollinsford 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #94 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Cornish School District | Plainfield School District | Rollinsford School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | 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.