Compare towns
Bow vs Townsend vs Auburn vs Hopkinton
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).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Hopkinton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Townsend | Auburn | Hopkinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
9,100Highest |
6,119 |
6,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
45±2.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Hopkinton 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% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hopkinton 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hopkinton and Auburn 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. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6k 90% above U.S. |
$137,477±$21k 70% 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. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$506,900±$54k 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,270±$129Lowest 10% below 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 | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$8,092 159% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Hopkinton 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.8%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn and Hopkinton 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #44 of 120 in NH | #28 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | North Middlesex | Auburn School District | Hopkinton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Hopkinton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.1Highest |
— | 12.0Lowest |
| 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.