Compare towns
Bow vs Madbury vs Plainfield vs Brookline
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).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Madbury | Plainfield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,203Lowest |
2,522 |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Brookline 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% |
14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest 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% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Brookline 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 |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$122,656±$13kLowest 24% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline 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 |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$442,400±$47kLowest 10% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
| Brookline and Bow 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 |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
| Brookline and Plainfield 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 min 5% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Plainfield School District | Brookline 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.