Compare towns
Plaistow vs Bow vs New Ipswich
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 renters (21.9% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
New Ipswich has the most kids (29.9% 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 | Plaistow | Bow | New Ipswich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,861 |
8,335Highest |
5,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7 7% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
36.9±2.4Lowest 15% below NH |
| Bow and Plaistow 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%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
29.9%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| New Ipswich and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
12.3%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Plaistow 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 |
$110,507±$9k 12% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32k about the NH average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$392,400±$31kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187Highest 12% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$882±$469Lowest 41% 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 | $7,194 8% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,647Lowest 15% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±41.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| New Ipswich and Plaistow 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% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 7% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #82 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Bow School District | Mascenic Regional School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Bow High School | Mascenic Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.7 |
| 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.