Compare towns

Bow vs Lynn 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).
Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).
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.

MeasureBowLynnAuburn
People
Population
8,335
101,709Highest
6,119Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+12.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+20%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
36.5±1.2Lowest
6% below 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%
24.1%±1.4
U.S.: 22%
19.3%±4.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Bow and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
13.7%±0.9
U.S.: 17.2%
13.4%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
60.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
24.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
55.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±0.6Lowest
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.
$75,043±$3kLowest
7% below 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±$34kLowest
52% above U.S.
$510,100±$23k
53% above U.S.
$600,300±$29kHighest
80% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178Lowest
9% above U.S.
$1,722±$60
22% above U.S.
$1,893±$822Highest
34% above U.S.
Auburn and Lynn 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.
$5,384Lowest
73% above U.S.
$8,092
159% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
60%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
27.6%±27Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
2.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
13.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
48.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1946Lowest
34 yrs older than U.S.
1984
4 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
32 minHighest
19% above U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
7.9%±1Lowest
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 #277 of 282 in MA #44 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District Lynn Auburn School District
High school in town Bow High School Lynn English High None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Lowest
15.0Highest
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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.