Compare towns
Bow vs Hanover vs Plainfield vs Auburn
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).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($442k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Hanover | Plainfield | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
8,479Highest |
2,522Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Bow 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% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 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%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Bow 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% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
$122,656±$13kLowest 24% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% 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 |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$442,400±$47kLowest 10% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
| Hanover and Auburn 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 |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Auburn 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 | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Plainfield School District | Auburn 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.