Compare towns
Bow vs Rye vs Concord 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).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Concord has the most renters (43.2% 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.
| Measure | Bow | Rye | Concord | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
5,611Lowest |
44,375Highest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6% NH: +4.6% |
+3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4 NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Concord 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 |
$140,655±$39k 42% above NH |
$84,902±$5kLowest 14% 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 |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,781±$156 19% above NH |
$1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Rye 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 |
$7,519 13% above NH |
$7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Rye and Concord 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% |
6.9% NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
85.5% NH: 72.8% |
56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1972 7 yrs older than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
29 minHighest 8% above NH |
23 minLowest 14% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Rye School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Concord High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
— |
| 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.