Compare towns
Bow vs Canaan vs Hanover vs Auburn
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).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Canaan | Hanover | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
3,811Lowest |
11,685Highest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
44.4±3.7Highest about the NH average |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Canaan 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% |
14.7%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Auburn 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% |
19.1%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Canaan 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% |
28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
7%±2.5 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Hanover 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 |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
| Hanover 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 |
$5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Hanover 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% |
13.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
77.3% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Hanover 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 | #83 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
10.7 |
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| 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.