Compare towns
Bow vs Plainville vs Suncook
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 the highest household income ($173k).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
Suncook has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | Plainville | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
9,943Highest |
5,432Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.9±8.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainville 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Plainville 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 114% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
$79,836±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
$361,100±$22kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Bow and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,091±$317Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,975 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainville and Suncook 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Plainville 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Plainville | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.