Compare towns
Lee vs Bow vs Amherst 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
Lee has the most affordable homes ($481k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Lee | Bow | Amherst | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,576Lowest |
8,335 |
11,861Highest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Amherst and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest 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 | $131,579±$54kLowest 33% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% 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 | $480,600±$61kLowest 19% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661 45% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the NH average |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Bow School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 10 photos → | 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.