Compare towns
Bow vs Exeter vs Ogunquit 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 most kids (25% under 18).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Exeter | Ogunquit | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,151Highest |
1,379Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn and Exeter 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. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6k 90% above U.S. |
| 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 52% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29k 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
— | $1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Exeter 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. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,092 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Bow 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% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.