Compare towns
Bow vs Lee vs Auburn vs Hopkinton
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).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($481k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Hopkinton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Lee | Auburn | Hopkinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
4,576Lowest |
6,119 |
6,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
45±2.8Highest 4% above NH |
| Hopkinton and Auburn 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% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lee 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% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.9%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Hopkinton 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 NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
58.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
7.9%±4.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Hopkinton and Auburn 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 75% above NH |
$131,579±$54kLowest 33% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
$137,477±$21k 39% above NH |
| 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 26% above NH |
$480,600±$61kLowest 19% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$506,900±$54k 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
— | $1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,270±$129Lowest 15% below NH |
| Auburn and Bow 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 |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
42.4%±6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hopkinton and Bow 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% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1968Lowest 11 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
28 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
23.8%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH | #28 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Auburn School District | Hopkinton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | Hopkinton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 12.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.