Compare towns
Plainfield vs Bow vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($442k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Plainfield | Bow | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
8,335 |
10,681Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% 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 | 23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest 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+ | 19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kLowest 10% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
| Bow and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% 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 | $7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.