Compare towns
Bow vs Epping vs Hooksett 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).
Epping has the oldest population (median age 45.1).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
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 | Epping | Hooksett | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
7,430 |
15,057Highest |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Auburn 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 |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% 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 |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Hooksett 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Epping School District | Hooksett School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Epping High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.