Compare towns
Auburn vs Bow vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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 | Auburn | Bow | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
8,335Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1 11% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Auburn and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 45% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$112,828±$11kLowest 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$463,900±$24k 39% above U.S. |
| Bow and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Lowest 70% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,401 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Auburn and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Lunenburg 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 | #106 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Bow School District | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Bow High School | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.