Compare towns
Plaistow vs Walpole vs Bow vs Sandown
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 youngest population (median age 40.1).
Walpole has the most affordable homes ($320k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Walpole | Bow | Sandown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,861 |
3,690Lowest |
8,335Highest |
6,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% NH: +4.6% |
-2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7Lowest 7% below NH |
46.5±10.4Highest 7% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
40.8±3.7 6% below NH |
| Walpole and Bow 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% |
22.2%±5.2 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Sandown 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% |
25.5%±5.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Walpole and Bow 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% |
32.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
4%±2.8 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,317±$13k 9% above NH |
$82,617±$16kLowest 17% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$135,040±$25k 36% above NH |
| Bow and Sandown 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 |
$319,800±$48kLowest 21% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$483,400±$44k 20% above NH |
| Bow and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187 12% above NH |
$1,165±$150Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
| Sandown and Plaistow 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 |
$6,078Lowest 9% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,801 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±21.9 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Sandown and Plaistow 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% |
11.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1% NH: 72.8% |
69.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1967Lowest 12 yrs 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 |
23 minLowest 13% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Bow 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #71 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bow School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.