Compare towns
Bow vs Durham vs Hudson 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 20.8).
Hudson has the most affordable homes ($439k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Hudson | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
15,080 |
25,557Highest |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
45.7±1.9Highest 6% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Hudson 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.8%±2.1 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.7%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Hudson 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% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$124,056±$21kLowest 25% above NH |
$124,213±$6k 25% 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 |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$438,900±$11kLowest 9% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,735±$123 16% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Hudson 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 |
$6,636Lowest about the NH average |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.3%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Bow 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% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.6% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
31 minHighest 18% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.6%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Bow 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 | #63 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Hudson School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Oyster River High School | Alvirne High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3 |
11.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.