Compare towns
Plaistow vs Bow vs Hampstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plaistow has the most affordable homes ($405k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Hampstead has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
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 | Plaistow | Bow | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,861Lowest |
8,335 |
9,102Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7Lowest 7% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
45.3±6.1Highest 5% above NH |
| Hampstead and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hampstead and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,317±$13kLowest 9% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32kLowest about the NH average |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH |
| Hampstead and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187Highest 12% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
| Plaistow and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194Lowest 8% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Plaistow and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 7% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Hampstead 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Bow School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| 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.