Compare towns
Plaistow vs Haverhill vs Jaffrey
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plaistow has the highest household income ($108k).
Haverhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
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 | Haverhill | Jaffrey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,861 |
67,698Highest |
5,448Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7 3% above U.S. |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.9±3.9Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Jaffrey 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Jaffrey and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Jaffrey 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Haverhill 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±$13kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$92,330±$18k 14% above U.S. |
| Plaistow and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32k 22% above U.S. |
$453,900±$9kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$245,500±$27kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187 18% above U.S. |
$1,668±$49Highest 18% above U.S. |
$962±$202Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Haverhill and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,772Lowest 53% above U.S. |
$6,196 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±23Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Haverhill and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plaistow and Haverhill 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 | #243 of 282 in MA | #87 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Haverhill High | Conant Middle High School (H) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.5 |
21.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.