Compare towns
Bow vs Stowe vs Williston 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 highest household income ($173k).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
Williston has the most affordable homes ($476k median).
Auburn has the most people working from home (26.5%).
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 | Stowe | Williston | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
5,285Lowest |
10,144Highest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Williston 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% |
22.5%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Stowe 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% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe and Williston 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% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn and Williston 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. |
$93,618±$33kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% 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. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29k 80% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Auburn 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. |
$1,458±$242Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Williston 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. |
$7,161 130% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$8,092 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston 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% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest 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. |
1993Highest 13 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 27% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn and Stowe 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Stowe Town School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Stowe High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.3Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.