Compare towns
Bow vs Webster vs Sutton 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).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($339k median).
Sutton has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Webster | Sutton | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,227Lowest |
2,239 |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
44.7±7.6 3% above NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Sutton and Webster 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% |
22.6%±8 NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Webster 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% |
19.4%±1.3 NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton and Webster 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 NH: 40.6% |
30.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 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 |
$107,171±$14kLowest 8% above NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above 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 |
$338,500±$30kLowest 16% below NH |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,396±$622Lowest 6% below NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,021Lowest 10% below NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
53.6%±71Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Webster and Bow 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% |
9.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
31 minHighest 14% above NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
17.1%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Bow 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 | — | — | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.