Compare towns
Lee vs Dover vs Bow 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 people working from home (27.6%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
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 | Dover | Bow | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,576Lowest |
33,364Highest |
8,335 |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Lee 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% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lee 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% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Bow 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% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% 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±$61k 19% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Bow 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% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Dover School District | Bow School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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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.