Compare towns
Bow vs Dunbarton vs Upton vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dunbarton has the most affordable homes ($484k median).
Upton has the most renters (13.3% rent).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Dunbarton | Upton | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,097Lowest |
8,189 |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 114% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21kLowest 54% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6k 90% above U.S. |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$8,092Lowest 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn and Upton 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #46 of 282 in MA | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.