Compare towns
Chester vs Derry vs Ogunquit 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
Chester has the most homeowners (97.7%).
Derry has the most renters (29.8% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Auburn has the highest household income ($153k).
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 | Chester | Derry | Ogunquit | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,300 |
34,116Highest |
1,379Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8 21% above U.S. |
40.3±1.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Derry and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19k 76% above U.S. |
$108,944±$7kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6kHighest 90% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,300±$42k 66% above U.S. |
$432,000±$17kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29k 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,547±$138Lowest 9% above U.S. |
— | $1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464Highest 171% above U.S. |
$8,103 160% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,092 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Derry and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Auburn 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 | #90 of 120 in NH | #60 of 120 in NH | — | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | — | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pinkerton Academy | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.9 |
— | — |
| 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.