Compare towns
Auburn vs Bow vs Brookline vs Dover
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).
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Brookline | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119 |
8,335 |
5,736Lowest |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+13% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Auburn and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Brookline 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 |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
| Bow and Brookline 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±$34k 26% above NH |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
| Auburn and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
| Brookline and Auburn 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.5% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Bow School District | Brookline School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.