Compare towns
Worcester vs Bow vs Windham vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Worcester | Bow | Windham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831 |
8,335Highest |
594Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
— | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Bow School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.