Compare towns
Bow vs Newport vs Walpole 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 highest household income ($173k).
Newport has the most affordable homes ($226k median).
Walpole has the shortest commute (23 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 | Newport | Walpole | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
6,375 |
3,690Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
-3.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-2.7% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
46.9±5.2Highest 8% above NH |
46.5±10.4 7% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Newport and Walpole 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% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.2%±5.2 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Walpole 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% |
24%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±5.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Walpole and Newport 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% |
28.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
32.9% NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4%±2.8 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 |
$80,341±$12kLowest 19% below NH |
$82,617±$16k 17% below NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% 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 |
$225,900±$17kLowest 44% below NH |
$319,800±$48k 21% below NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,365±$305 8% below NH |
$1,165±$150Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,649Lowest 15% below NH |
$6,078 9% below NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
40%±15.5 NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±21.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Walpole and Newport 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% |
11.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
66.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1964Lowest 15 yrs older than NH |
1967 12 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
24 min 11% below NH |
23 minLowest 13% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
9.6%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #119 of 120 in NH | #27 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Newport School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Newport Middle High School (High) | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.8Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.