Compare towns
Bow vs Eliot vs Hanover vs Plainfield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($442k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Eliot | Hanover | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
7,146 |
11,685Highest |
2,522Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 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%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36k 110% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
| 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 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Eliot 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #1 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.