Compare towns
Bow vs Norwich vs Bedford 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 most affordable homes ($507k median).
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Norwich | Bedford | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
3,640Lowest |
23,746Highest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Bedford 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 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest 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. |
$140,313±$12kLowest 74% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6k 90% above U.S. |
| 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 52% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29k 80% above U.S. |
| Norwich 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 9% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,893±$822 34% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
$8,092Lowest 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | #7 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Norwich 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 |
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.