Compare towns
Bow vs Bedford vs Auburn vs Suncook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Bedford has the most expensive homes ($612k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Suncook has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
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 | Bow | Bedford | Auburn | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
23,746Highest |
6,119 |
5,432Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
37.9±8.1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Bedford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
$79,836±$25kLowest 19% below NH |
| Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
$361,100±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
| Bedford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
| Bedford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
$6,975Lowest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±21.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 min 5% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Bedford School District | Auburn School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Bedford High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.