Compare towns
Plainfield vs Plaistow vs Hooksett
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 people working from home (18.1%).
Plaistow has the most renters (21.9% rent).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Plaistow | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
7,861 |
15,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
40.1±3.7 7% below NH |
41.3±1.5Highest 5% below NH |
| Hooksett and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Plaistow 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% |
17.4%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$108,317±$13kLowest 9% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
| Plainfield and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
$404,500±$32kLowest about the NH average |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
| Plainfield and Hooksett 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 |
$1,664±$187 12% above NH |
$1,661±$206Lowest 11% above NH |
| Plainfield and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 19% above NH |
$7,194 8% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.3%±16.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Plaistow and Hooksett 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% |
4.5% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Plaistow 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Timberlane Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.