Compare towns
Auburn vs Townsend vs Milford
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%).
Townsend has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Milford has the most renters (35.1% 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 | Townsend | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,119Lowest |
9,100 |
16,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
36.8±2.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Auburn and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Milford and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Townsend and Milford 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$97,768±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$398,800±$20kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,661±$126 18% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Milford 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. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$7,522 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Milford 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | North Middlesex | Milford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.