Compare towns
Madbury vs Bow vs Plainfield vs Rollinsford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Rollinsford has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Madbury | Bow | Plainfield | Rollinsford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
8,335Highest |
2,522 |
2,626 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
38.8±5.5 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 | 29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±4.8Lowest 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+ | 14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$89,500±$26kLowest 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 | $476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$398,100±$33kLowest about the NH average |
| Bow and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,809±$394Highest 21% above NH |
| Rollinsford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$6,851Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
40%±26.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Rollinsford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
78.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Rollinsford 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH | #94 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Bow School District | Plainfield School District | Rollinsford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | 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.