Compare towns
Epping vs Plaistow 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
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Plaistow has the most renters (21.9% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Epping | Plaistow | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
7,861 |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
40.1±3.7Lowest 7% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Epping and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±3.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% NH: 40.6% |
34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$108,317±$13k 9% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$404,500±$32kLowest about the NH average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Bow and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,664±$187 12% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
| Epping and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
$7,194 8% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.5% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above NH |
29 min 7% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.6%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Bow 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #66 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | Timberlane Regional High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
11.4 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.