Compare towns
Plainfield vs Bow vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
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 | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
8,335Highest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 153% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Bow School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
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.