Compare towns
Bow vs Hanover 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 affordable homes ($507k median).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($755k 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 | Hanover | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
14,845Highest |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.8±1.4 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hanover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Hanover 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% |
56.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest 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±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$189,803±$23kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6kLowest 90% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$755,400±$39kHighest 127% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29k 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,845±$341 31% above U.S. |
$1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Hanover 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. |
$9,342 200% above U.S. |
$8,092Lowest 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | South Shore Vocational Technical High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.