Compare towns
Bow vs Lyme vs Brookline 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).
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Brookline | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,710Lowest |
5,736 |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Lyme and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% 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% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Brookline 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 |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline 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 |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Lyme 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 3% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
| Brookline 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27 NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme 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% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1993Highest 14 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 |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Lyme School District | Brookline School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| 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.