Compare towns
Meredith vs Plainfield vs Bow vs Enfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Enfield has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
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 | Meredith | Plainfield | Bow | Enfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,758 |
2,522Lowest |
8,335Highest |
4,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
58.3±5.4Highest 35% above NH |
| Enfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
7.9%±4.6Lowest 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+ | 34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.7%±7.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
43%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±3.4Lowest 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 | $87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$95,474±$19k 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$390,800±$71kLowest about the NH average |
| Bow and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,181±$563 21% below NH |
| Plainfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,203 7% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
17.8%±16.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
16.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
24 min 11% below NH |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
11%±5.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #5 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Plainfield School District | Bow School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.