Compare towns
Bow vs Lebanon vs Norwich 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 highest household income ($173k).
Lebanon has the most renters (48.8% rent).
Norwich has the most expensive homes ($638k 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 | Lebanon | Norwich | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
14,999Highest |
3,640Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.8±3.2 5% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Bow 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% |
14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Norwich 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% |
21.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lebanon 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%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% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn and Lebanon 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. |
$98,147±$10kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12k 74% 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. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29k 80% above U.S. |
| Norwich and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,092Lowest 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lebanon 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% |
7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1982 2 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 |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn and Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #1 of 70 in VT | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Lebanon School District | Norwich School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Lebanon High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.7Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.