It was a fishing settlement called by Native Americans "Massabesic" (the current name of the town's largest lake).

British settlers arrived in the area in 1720 and made peace with the Natives until the French and Indian War.

[4] Three hills, all overlooking Massabesic Lake, can lay potential claim to being Auburn's highest point: Mount Miner, at 582 feet (177 m) above sea level, located north of the lake; Mine Hill, greater than 580 ft (177 m), above the east shore; and Mount Misery, greater than 580 feet, to the southeast.

Since Auburn has an agreement with the city of Manchester that the city and the surrounding towns can use Massabesic Lake as a water source, Manchester, Chester, Candia, Hooksett and Derry pay Auburn an estimated $3 million for Lake Massabesic.

The Massabesic Audubon Center is in central Auburn, occupying Battery Point on the lake.

[10] The Griffin Mill Dam along Little Massabesic Brook-Sucker Brook is in the northeastern part of the town.

Every year, the Auburn Historical Association hosts an annual Duck Race on Hooksett Road near a river that flows into Lake Massabesic.

The main event starts at the Hooksett road bridge over the Little Massabesic Brook-Sucker Brook where a truck dumps thousands of yellow rubber ducks into the brook, lined with straight yellow floating tubes, and the race ends at a finish line on the left side of the Griffin Mill Bridge, past the waterfall.

The event attracts thousands of onlookers each year, to partake in the selection of goods offered at rented booths and/or to watch the ducks leisurely float down the river.

Every Sunday, sometimes also during the week, the Yacht Sail Boating Club hosts a sailboat race.

The last weekend in July, the Griffin Free Public Library holds a huge book sale at the Auburn Village School.

Auburn is part of School Administrative Unit 15, along with the neighboring towns of Hooksett and Candia.

New Hampshire Route 101 is a four-lane expressway that passes through the northern part of the town, leading west to neighboring Manchester and east to Exeter.

New Hampshire Route 28 Bypass travels through the west side of Auburn, leading south to Derry and north to Hooksett.