Compare towns
Auburn vs Bow vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,119Lowest |
8,335 |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,196±$10kLowest 55% above NH |
| Bow and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Auburn 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 | #44 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Bow School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.