Population 7,314 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Plaistow
Household size in Plaistow
| Period | Plaistow | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.59 | 2.50 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.60 | 2.49 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.58 people per household, Plaistow sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.66, in line with the national trend. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Plaistow
| Period | Plaistow | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.9 | 38.9 | 40.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 39.7 | 42.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.8 | 40.4 | 43.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.7 | 40.8 | 44.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −4.2 | +1.9 | +3.5 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Plaistow are younger than 40.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 44.9, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the west.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Plaistow
| Period | Plaistow | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 10.4% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 9.6% | 8.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 9.7% | 8.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in six households in Plaistow (15.6%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 7.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only one other New Hampshire city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Plaistow
Renters in Plaistow
| Period | Plaistow | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 36.8% | 27.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.8% | 38.5% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.2% | 38.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.1% | 38.4% | 27.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +1.6 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.1% of households in Plaistow rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 34.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the west. The renter share is up 5.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Plaistow
| Period | Plaistow | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.4% | 8.1% | 12.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 7.4% | 12.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 7.3% | 12.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 1.7% | 6.7% | 11.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 1.7% of homes in Plaistow are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 1.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other New Hampshire city with 5,000+ people has a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Plaistow
| Period | Plaistow | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1958 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1959 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1961 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1964 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Plaistow was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Boston area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1964. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Plaistow
| Period | Plaistow | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,127 | $1,171 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,311 | $1,251 | $1,094 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,420 | $1,537 | $1,224 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,654 | $2,051 | $1,597 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$527 | +$881 | +$580 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Plaistow costs $1,654 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the wider Boston area ($2,051). Rents are up $527 a month from 2006–10, a 47% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Plaistow
Bachelor's degrees in Plaistow
| Period | Plaistow | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.6% | 42.2% | 33.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.7% | 44.1% | 35.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.9% | 48.2% | 37.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.8% | 51.9% | 41.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a third of adults 25 and older in Plaistow (35.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Boston area (51.9%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.2 points, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Plaistow
| Period | Plaistow | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.6% | 89.8% | 91.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.4% | 90.6% | 92.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.3% | 91.5% | 93.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.2% | 91.8% | 94.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +2.1 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Plaistow: 95.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 1.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Plaistow
| Period | Plaistow | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 7.0% | 5.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 8.0% | 6.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 4.6% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 4.9% | 3.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Plaistow runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.3 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Plaistow compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaistow | 2.58 | 40.7 | 15.6% | 22.1% | 1.7% | 1977 | $1,654 | 35.8% | 95.2% | 4.3% |
| Newton | 2.65 | 45.2 | 5.5% | 11.0% | 3.4% | 1982 | $1,657 | 39.3% | 97.9% | 3.3% |
| Atkinson | 2.49 | 52.9 | 5.3% | 9.3% | 4.6% | 1981 | $1,195 | 42.8% | 95.9% | 4.8% |
| Haverhill | 2.59 | 40.7 | 13.9% | 37.2% | 5.8% | 1961 | $1,643 | 32.1% | 90.2% | 5.9% |
| East Hampstead | 2.32 | 37.5 | 12.1% | 24.5% | 10.1% | 1992 | $1,261 | 40.8% | 98.1% | 1.1% |
| Merrimac | 2.45 | 50.0 | 11.2% | 18.9% | 3.8% | 1979 | $1,788 | 40.7% | 96.0% | 1.3% |
| Hampstead | 2.57 | 48.7 | 6.8% | 15.6% | 6.5% | 1982 | $1,467 | 42.7% | 97.1% | 6.9% |
| Amesbury | 1.87 | 59.5 | 3.3% | 0.0% | 2.9% | 1996 | $1,352 | 42.3% | 93.7% | 0.0% |
| Kingston | 2.46 | 54.3 | 7.6% | 24.7% | 6.6% | 1979 | $1,462 | 39.3% | 96.8% | 4.0% |
| West Newbury | 2.73 | 49.3 | 6.1% | 4.6% | 6.4% | 1983 | $1,769 | 64.4% | 98.5% | 2.4% |
| Danville | 2.54 | 44.3 | 12.9% | 5.8% | 5.0% | 1990 | $2,023 | 37.6% | 95.4% | 1.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Dora, AL · Valhalla, NY · Valatie, NY · Upton, MA · University Park, IL · University, MS · Unionville, NC · Union, OH · Union Grove, WI · Union Gap, WA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Plaistow. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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