Compare towns
Bow vs Pelham vs Dunbarton 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 kids (25% under 18).
Pelham has the most renters (13.3% rent).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
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 | Pelham | Dunbarton | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
14,449Highest |
3,097Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3% NH: +4.6% |
+9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Dunbarton 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 NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pelham 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% |
16.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Pelham 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 |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
$124,348±$21kLowest 26% above 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 |
$552,600±$27k 37% above NH |
$484,100±$33kLowest 20% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Auburn and Pelham 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 |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 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 |
$8,634 30% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Dunbarton 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% |
3.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.7%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 |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
30 min 10% above NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Pelham School District | Dunbarton School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Pelham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| 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.