Compare towns
Bow vs Windham vs Sutton 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Sutton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1981).
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 | Windham | Sutton | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,038Highest |
9,452 |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bow 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% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 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±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kLowest 82% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6k 90% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29k 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,893±$822 34% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,763Lowest 117% above U.S. |
$8,092 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Sutton 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #105 of 282 in MA | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham School District | Sutton | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Windham High School | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
12.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.