Compare towns
Bow vs Waitsfield vs Stratham 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).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k median).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
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 | Waitsfield | Stratham | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,918Lowest |
7,754 |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Waitsfield 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% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Stratham 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% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%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% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 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. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% 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. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29k 80% above U.S. |
| 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 9% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,893±$822 34% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$8,092 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Waitsfield 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% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 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 |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | 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 |
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.