Compare towns
Holderness vs Bow vs Madbury vs Plymouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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.
| Measure | Holderness | Bow | Madbury | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
8,335Highest |
2,203 |
4,969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+6.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
| Bow and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
52.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$89,500±$32kLowest 10% below NH |
| Bow and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$294,400±$28kLowest 27% below NH |
| Bow and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,296±$295Lowest 13% below NH |
| Holderness and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,483 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 5% below NH |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.