Compare towns
Keene vs Bow vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
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 | Keene | Bow | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
8,335 |
2,522Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 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+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% 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 | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% 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 | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
22 min 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Bow School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| 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.