Compare towns
Concord vs Derry vs Plainfield vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Concord has the most renters (43.2% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Concord | Derry | Plainfield | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
34,116 |
2,522Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.6% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
40.3±1.6 7% below NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
| Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest 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+ | 18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% NH: 40.6% |
37.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Derry and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
$108,944±$7k 10% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% 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 | $1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
$1,547±$138 4% above NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Plainfield and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
$8,103 22% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
70.2% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | #60 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Plainfield School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Pinkerton Academy | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
13.9Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.