Compare towns

Henniker vs Bow vs Norwich vs Plaistow

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Norwich has the most expensive homes ($638k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureHennikerBowNorwichPlaistow
People
Population
6,197
8,335Highest
3,640Lowest
7,861
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+27.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
31.1±6.1Lowest
20% below U.S.
41.5±2Highest
7% above U.S.
40.8±3.2
5% above U.S.
40.1±3.7
3% above U.S.
Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.3%±3.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
24%±5.1
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±4.3
U.S.: 22%
Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.5%±6
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.4%±3.7
U.S.: 17.2%
Bow and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
41.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
60.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
81%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
34.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
27%±6.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
3.3%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$95,206±$21kLowest
18% above U.S.
$172,857±$16kHighest
114% above U.S.
$140,313±$12k
74% above U.S.
$108,317±$13k
34% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$356,700±$49kLowest
7% above U.S.
$506,500±$34k
52% above U.S.
$637,500±$76kHighest
92% above U.S.
$404,500±$32k
22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,081±$164Lowest
23% below U.S.
$1,539±$178
9% above U.S.
$1,460±$322
3% above U.S.
$1,664±$187Highest
18% above U.S.
Plaistow and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,877
185% above U.S.
$9,584
207% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$7,194Lowest
131% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
43.5%±22.6
U.S.: 51.1%
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
30.7%±19.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.3%±16.9Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Plaistow and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
78.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1974Lowest
6 yrs older than U.S.
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1978
2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 min
23% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
19 minLowest
28% below U.S.
29 minHighest
8% above U.S.
Work from home
15.5%±5.6
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
21%±5.3
U.S.: 15.1%
13.6%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Bow and Norwich 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 #56 of 120 in NH #26 of 120 in NH #1 of 70 in VT #66 of 120 in NH
School district Henniker School District Bow School District Norwich School District Timberlane Regional School District
High school in town None in town Bow High School None in town Timberlane Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.8Highest
—
11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 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.