Compare towns
Plaistow vs Pembroke vs Plymouth 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
Pembroke has the most kids (24% under 18).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Hampstead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Pembroke | Plymouth | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,861 |
7,438 |
6,601Lowest |
9,102Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+1.3% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7 7% below NH |
41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
45.3±6.1Highest 5% above NH |
| Hampstead and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Hampstead 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% |
16.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hampstead 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% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,317±$13k 9% above NH |
$89,519±$22k 10% below NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$112,348±$18kHighest 13% above NH |
| Hampstead and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32k about the NH average |
$371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187Highest 12% above NH |
$1,218±$354 18% below NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,299±$149 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194 8% above NH |
$7,589 14% above NH |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Plaistow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% NH: 7.2% |
15% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1% NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 7% above NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampstead and Pembroke 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Pembroke School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Pembroke Academy | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.