Compare towns
Bow vs Lyme vs Bedford 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 affordable homes ($507k median).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Lyme | Bedford | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,710Lowest |
23,746Highest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Lyme and Bedford 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% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Bedford 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
63% NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
| 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 75% above NH |
$133,906±$15kLowest 35% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Bedford 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 |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Lyme and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
| Bedford 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 |
$9,803 47% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Lyme 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% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Bedford 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 | — | #7 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Lyme School District | Bedford School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Bedford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
— |
| 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.