Compare towns
Bow vs Hooksett 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).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Hooksett | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
15,057Highest |
2,522Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Bow and Hooksett 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% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest 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%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Highest 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett 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 |
$117,962±$11kLowest 19% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| 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±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
| Plainfield and Hooksett 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 |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hooksett and Bow 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% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Plainfield 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Hooksett 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 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.