Compare towns
Bow vs Ripton vs Andover 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 kids (25% under 18).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Auburn has the most expensive homes ($600k median).
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 | Ripton | Andover | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
508Lowest |
616 |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +20% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Andover and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Auburn 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Andover 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$102,500±$38kLowest 27% above 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±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$382,900±$68kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
— | $1,389±$364Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
| 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 207% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$5,190 66% above U.S. |
$8,092 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Ripton 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% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover 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 | — | — | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.