Compare towns
Brookline vs Bow vs Hampton Falls 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
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Hampton Falls has the most expensive homes ($773k 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 | Brookline | Bow | Hampton Falls | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
8,335Highest |
2,328Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Hampton Falls and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$166,157±$14k 68% above NH |
$153,253±$6kLowest 55% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$772,600±$76kHighest 92% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,852±$475 24% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
| Brookline and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
32 min 21% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Bow School District | Hampton Falls School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None 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.