What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plaistow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).

St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plaistow	St. Albans
People
Population	7,861Highest	6,954Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.1±3.7Highest 3% above U.S.	38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average
	Plaistow and St. Albans 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%	20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	St. Albans and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Plaistow and St. Albans 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%	31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plaistow and St. Albans 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.	$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$404,500±$32kHighest 22% above U.S.	$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,664±$187Highest 18% above U.S.	$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,194Highest 131% above U.S.	$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.3%±16.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	51.8%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Plaistow and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	13.6%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plaistow and St. Albans 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	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	Timberlane Regional School District	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	Timberlane Regional High School	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4	11.4
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.