What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plymouth has the shortest commute (18 min average).

Northwood has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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.

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

Measure	Plymouth	Northwood
People
Population	6,601Highest	4,688Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH	42.4±7.8Highest about the NH average
Kids under 18	13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2%	18%±4.4Highest NH: 18.2%
	Northwood and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1%	21.5%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54%Highest NH: 40.6%	38.9%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6%	3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH	$129,375±$23kHighest 31% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH	$363,000±$13kHighest 10% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH	$1,201±$372Highest 19% below NH
	Northwood and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,288Highest 6% below NH	$5,806Lowest 13% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.8%±11.6Highest NH: 48.2%	23.7%±29.2Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Plymouth and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.6%Highest NH: 7.2%	7.5%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8%	89%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH	1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 31% below NH	37 minHighest 37% above NH
Work from home	11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8%	18.7%±6.8Highest NH: 16.8%
	Northwood and Plymouth 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	#47 of 120 in NH	#24 of 120 in NH
School district	Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District	Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District
High school in town	Plymouth Regional High School	Coe-Brown Northwood Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.