Compare towns
Bow vs Stratham vs Suncook 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 highest household income ($173k).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% 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 | Stratham | Suncook | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
7,754 |
5,432Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
37.9±8.1Lowest 12% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Stratham 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% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Stratham 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% NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
| 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 75% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$79,836±$25kLowest 19% 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 |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
$361,100±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Stratham 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 3% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
| Stratham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
$6,975Lowest 5% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±21.7 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Suncook 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% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | — | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | — | 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 | 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.