Compare towns
Auburn vs New Boston vs Barnstead vs Lee
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%).
New Boston has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | New Boston | Barnstead | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119 |
6,165Highest |
4,994 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+14.8% NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
38.8±3.4Lowest 10% below NH |
42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| 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%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.2%±5.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| New Boston 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%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.4% NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Barnstead 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 |
$154,250±$25kHighest 56% above NH |
$111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| New Boston 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 |
$481,100±$59k 20% above NH |
$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,193±$111Lowest 20% below NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
— |
| Auburn and Barnstead 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 |
$8,181 23% above NH |
$6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27 NH: 48.2% |
22.8%±20.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Barnstead 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% |
6.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9% NH: 72.8% |
88%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
36 minHighest 33% above NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
28 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±6.5 NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest 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 | #21 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | New Boston School District | Barnstead School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.