Compare towns
Plaistow vs Haverhill vs Kingston
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 most affordable homes ($405k median).
Haverhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,861 |
67,698Highest |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7 3% above U.S. |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Haverhill and Plaistow 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% |
24.7%±6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kingston 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Haverhill and Kingston 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. |
$105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
| Plaistow and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$453,900±$9k 36% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187 18% above U.S. |
$1,668±$49Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Haverhill and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194 131% above U.S. |
$4,772Lowest 53% above U.S. |
$7,906Highest 153% 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% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest 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% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kingston 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #243 of 282 in MA | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Haverhill High | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.5 |
12.9Highest |
| 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.