Compare towns
Amesbury vs Epping vs Strafford vs Weare
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($122k).
Weare has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Amesbury | Epping | Strafford | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
7,430 |
4,306Lowest |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
46.3±2.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.6±4 17% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Weare and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$122,105±$22kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$118,271±$17k 46% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$427,900±$29k 29% above U.S. |
$396,300±$26kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,635±$246 16% above U.S. |
$1,541±$214Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Epping and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$6,086Lowest 95% above U.S. |
$6,272 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.2%±24.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Weare 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #73 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amesbury | Epping School District | Strafford School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Epping High School | None in town | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
9.3Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.