Compare towns
Auburn vs Roxbury vs Chester
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 the most people working from home (26.5%).
Roxbury has the most affordable homes ($323k median).
Chester has the oldest population (median age 47.2).
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 | Roxbury | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,119Highest |
299Lowest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— | +9.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
43.2±17.7Lowest about the NH average |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
| Chester 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 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±10.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Roxbury and Auburn 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 55% above NH |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
$142,212±$19k 44% above NH |
| 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 49% above NH |
$323,100±$219kLowest 20% below NH |
$552,300±$42k 37% above NH |
| 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 27% above NH |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092 21% above NH |
$5,787Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Auburn and Chester 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% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.5% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Chester 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 | — | Chester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.