Compare towns
Bow vs Plainfield vs Sutton
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).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Plainfield | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,522 |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest 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% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton 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% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Sutton 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 |
$122,656±$13kLowest 24% above NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below 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 |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
| Plainfield and Sutton 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 |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$7,652Lowest 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Plainfield School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.