What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).

Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Center Harbor
People
Population	6,119Highest	955Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+20%Highest NH: +4.6%	-5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	44.3±5.9Lowest about the NH average	60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH
Kids under 18	19.3%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2%	11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Auburn and Center Harbor 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%	39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.3%Highest NH: 40.6%	47.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6%	0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH	$104,313±$16kLowest 5% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH	$463,800±$74kLowest 15% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,893±$822 27% above NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,092Highest 21% above NH	$4,667Lowest 30% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.6%±27Highest NH: 48.2%	14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Auburn and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.5%Highest NH: 7.2%	2%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	91%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH	1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above NH	25 minLowest 8% below NH
Work from home	26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8%	8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#44 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Auburn School District	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.