Compare towns
Bow vs Durham vs Lyme 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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Lyme has the oldest population (median age 48.6).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Durham | Lyme | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,681Highest |
1,710Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Lyme 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lyme 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Auburn 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 |
$498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Lyme 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 |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Bow 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Lyme 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% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Lyme School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| 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.