Compare towns
Pembroke vs Middlesex 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
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Plaistow has the most expensive homes ($405k 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 | Pembroke | Middlesex | Plaistow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,438 |
1,943Lowest |
7,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3 8% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.1±3.7Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pembroke and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$108,317±$13k 34% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$20kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$404,500±$32kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Plaistow and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,664±$187Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Plaistow and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,589Highest 143% above U.S. |
$6,483Lowest 108% above U.S. |
$7,194 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plaistow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Pembroke 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | — | #66 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | None in town | Timberlane Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.