Compare towns
Auburn vs Bow vs Lee vs South Hooksett
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 most kids (25% under 18).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
South Hooksett has the youngest population (median age 35.2).
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 | Lee | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119 |
8,335Highest |
4,576Lowest |
5,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
35.2±3.6Lowest 19% below NH |
| Auburn and Lee 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%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lee 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% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee 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% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
37.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$130,000±$15kLowest 31% 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±$34k 26% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$433,200±$40kLowest 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
— | $1,471±$217Lowest 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 | $8,092 21% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$6,801Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Lee 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% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
28 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Auburn School District | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.