Compare towns
Plainfield vs Bow vs Windham vs Madbury
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
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 | Windham | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
8,335 |
16,038Highest |
2,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Windham 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% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest 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% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest 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 | $122,656±$13kLowest 24% above NH |
$172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kLowest 10% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Bow School District | Windham School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
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.