Plaistow

Rockingham County•Seacoast Region•Population: 7,830

Overview

Plaistow sits on the Massachusetts border in Rockingham County, where Route 125 and Route 121A create a busy commercial corridor serving both the town and neighboring communities. The town's proximity to I-495 in Massachusetts makes it a popular stop for shoppers and commuters.

Retail plazas, restaurants, and service businesses line the town's main routes, giving Plaistow a more commercial character than many of its rural Rockingham County neighbors. Residential neighborhoods sit back from the main corridors, offering a quieter contrast to the retail strip.

Plaistow's location and commercial base make it a practical choice for commuters working across the Massachusetts border or in the Manchester area. Housing costs remain moderate compared to towns closer to the Seacoast.

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

•Shopping access
•MA border
•Commuter-friendly
•Affordable

✗ Cons

•Traffic congestion
•Commercial sprawl
•Limited character

Cost of Owning Here

Official property tax rates published by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, plus estimated tax bills for Plaistow.

2025 Local Tax Rate

$14.44

per $1,000 assessed value

2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate

$13.70

Equalization ratio: 95%

Municipal

$4.51

Local School

$8.38

State Education

$1.02

County

$0.53

Why "Effective Rate" is a better comparison

New Hampshire towns do not all assess property at the same percentage of market value. The state publishes an annual equalization ratio for every municipality showing how close local assessments are to full market value. A town that assesses homes at only 64% of market value will show an artificially high tax rate compared to a town that assesses at 100%. Multiplying the local rate by the equalization ratio produces an effective (equalized) rate that can be fairly compared across any two towns in the state.

Year	Total Rate	Effective Rate	Municipal	Local School	State Ed.	County
2025	$14.44	$13.70	$4.51	$8.38	$1.02	$0.53

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home Value	Estimated Annual Tax	Estimated Monthly
$250,000	$3,610	$301
$350,000	$5,054	$421
$500,000	$7,220	$602
$750,000	$10,830	$903
$1,000,000	$14,440	$1,203

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $14.44 per $1,000 of assessed value. Actual tax bills depend on your property's specific assessed value and any exemptions or credits you may qualify for.

Open Full Calculator →Compare With Other Towns →View Statewide Rankings →

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High

80.9°F

Winter Avg High

38.6°F

Annual Snowfall

43.4 in

Annual Rainfall

49.7 in

Sunny Days/Year

262

Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5 • Updated 7/4/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston

40 mi

~53 min drive

Manchester

35 mi

~46 min drive

Portsmouth

32 mi

~41 min drive

Concord

51 mi

~64 min drive

Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMap • Updated 7/3/2026

Safety & Crime

Safety Score

4/10

Crime Rate

18.14/1,000

Crime Trend

stable

Data source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program - Crime Data Explorer (https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/) • Updated 8/12/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score

15/100

Trail Miles

10.5

000

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:0 miles

XC Ski Trails:0 miles

Economy & Demographics

💰Income

Median Household Income

$103,788

Per Capita Income

$52,551

Median Family Income

$128,769

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value

$370,300

Median Rent

$1,250/mo

Homeownership Rate

83.47%

💼Employment

Unemployment Rate

2.57%

In Labor Force

4,627

Work From Home

2.1%

🎓Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher

19.9%

Total with Degree

1,131

🚗Commute

Work From Home

2.1%

👥Demographics

Median Age

42.3 years

Avg Household Size

2.44 people

Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year) • Census Data Year: 2022 • Updated 7/3/2026

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