Compare towns
Bow vs Kittery vs Dunbarton 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).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
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 | Kittery | Dunbarton | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,473Highest |
3,097Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Dunbarton 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest 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±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% 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. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Kittery 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. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
$8,092 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton 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% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #33 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Kittery Public Schools | Dunbarton School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.