What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).

Plaistow has the most expensive homes ($405k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dorchester	Plaistow
People
Population	410Lowest	7,861Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+2.9% NH: +4.6%
Median age	56±10.5Highest 29% above NH	40.1±3.7Lowest 7% below NH
Kids under 18	11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	19.8%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2%
	Plaistow and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1%	17.4%±3.7Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.8%Highest NH: 40.6%	34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6%	3.3%±1.4Highest NH: 6%
	Plaistow and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	—	$108,317±$13k 9% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH	$404,500±$32kHighest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,664±$187 12% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,779Lowest 43% below NH	$7,194Highest 8% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%	55.3%±16.9Highest NH: 48.2%
	Plaistow and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.6%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.3%Highest NH: 72.8%	78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	40 minHighest 50% above NH	29 minLowest 7% above NH
Work from home	12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8%	13.6%±4Highest NH: 16.8%
	Plaistow and Dorchester 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	—	#66 of 120 in NH
School district	—	Timberlane Regional School District
High school in town	—	Timberlane Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.4
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.