Compare towns
Bow vs Shelburne 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).
Shelburne has the shortest commute (20 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 | Shelburne | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
7,969 |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.9±3.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Shelburne 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% |
20.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Shelburne 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% |
29.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.9Lowest 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. |
$115,963±$16kLowest 44% 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±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$588,100±$44k 77% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Shelburne 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. |
$1,442±$589Lowest 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. |
$8,173 162% above U.S. |
$8,092Lowest 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±10.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shelburne 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% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Lowest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelburne 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 | #8 of 70 in VT | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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 Our Story | 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.