The Town FilesPlaistow, New Hampshire
Town in Rockingham County · population 7,830 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $404,500
- Household income
- $108,317
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 58 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 40.1
Plaistow is a town of 7,830 people in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $404,500, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks better transit than 96% of New Hampshire towns, more walkable than 87% of New Hampshire towns, more vibrant than 87% of New Hampshire towns.
How Plaistow ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Plaistow is worth $404,500, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $108,317, which is more affordable than 56% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,664 a month. 78.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plaistow | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $404,500 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | $1,664 | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $108,317 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 78.1% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Plaistow
| People | Plaistow | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.9% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.1% | — |
| Work from home | 13.6% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 92.5% |
Weather in Plaistow
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 16.2°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.8 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plaistow since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 2, 1961 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 15, 1991.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 31, 1973.
Severe weather in Rockingham County since 1996
Rockingham County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 10, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4799: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 19, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4771: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Rockingham County
Rockingham County had 157,028 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,537 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Plaistow itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Plaistow
3 public schools with 2,176 students, about 10.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timberlane Regional High School | 9-12 | 972 | 10.9 |
| Timberlane Regional Middle School | 6-8 | 731 | 10.0 |
| Pollard Elementary School | PK-5 | 473 | 12.4 |
Towns near Plaistow
- Newton, NH2.9 mi · 4,820 people · home $459,500
- Atkinson, NH3.8 mi · 7,087 people · home $555,200
- Merrimac, MA4.1 mi · 6,723 people · home $553,400
- Haverhill, MA4.3 mi · 67,787 people · home $453,900
- Hampstead, NH4.7 mi · 8,998 people · home $521,100
- Kingston, NH4.8 mi · 6,202 people · home $492,900
- Danville, NH5.8 mi · 4,408 people · home $437,600
- West Newbury, MA7.3 mi · 4,500 people · home $808,200
Plaistow questions
Is Plaistow, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plaistow scores better for retirees than 12% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 21%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Plaistow?
The median owner-occupied home in Plaistow is valued at $404,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,317, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,664 a month.
What is the weather like in Plaistow?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 16.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.6 inches of precipitation a year and 57.8 inches of snow.
Does Plaistow get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plaistow since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 2, 1961. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)