Compare towns
Auburn vs Nottingham vs Bow vs Manchester
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%).
Nottingham has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% 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 | Nottingham | Bow | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119 |
5,357Lowest |
8,335 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
38.8±6.7 10% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% 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% |
23.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Nottingham 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% |
18.4%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Nottingham 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% |
40.9% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Manchester 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 |
$122,201±$20k 23% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below 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 |
$457,500±$26k 14% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$2,068±$1kHighest 39% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
| Nottingham and Auburn 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 |
$7,319 10% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Nottingham and Manchester 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9% NH: 72.8% |
94.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1992Highest 13 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Bow 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 | #15 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Nottingham School District | Bow School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 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.