Compare towns
Bow vs Hanover vs Portsmouth 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).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Hanover | Portsmouth | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
11,685 |
22,545Highest |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Portsmouth 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% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest 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% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth 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% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
| Hanover and Auburn 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 |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Portsmouth 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% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Portsmouth School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Hanover High School | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.4 |
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| 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.