Compare towns
Auburn vs Eliot vs Townsend
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
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 | Eliot | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,119Lowest |
7,146 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822 34% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092Highest 159% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.