Compare towns
Cornish 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
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
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 | Cornish | Plainfield | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
2,522 |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest 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+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below 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 | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Plainfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Plainfield School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| 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.