Compare towns
Auburn vs Ripton vs Windham vs Chester
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 the most people working from home (26.5%).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k median).
Chester has the most homeowners (97.7%).
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 | Ripton | Windham | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119Highest |
508Lowest |
594 |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
47.2±3.8 21% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Chester 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chester 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Windham 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$142,212±$19k 76% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$552,300±$42k 66% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822 34% above U.S. |
— | — | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092 159% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$8,464Highest 171% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
19%±72.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Windham 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn and Windham 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 | — | — | #90 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Chester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.