Compare towns
Brookline vs Hanson vs Auburn vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Hanson has the oldest housing (typical home built 1972).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
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 | Hanson | Auburn | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
10,660Highest |
6,119 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.8±3 10% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hanson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 112% above U.S. |
$132,200±$10kLowest 64% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6k 90% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| 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 64% above U.S. |
$533,900±$36k 60% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,821±$860 29% above U.S. |
$1,893±$822 34% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| 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 221% above U.S. |
$6,402Lowest 105% above U.S. |
$8,092 159% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #44 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Whitman-Hanson | Auburn School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.