What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).

Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Epping
People
Population	16,970Highest	7,430Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.8±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S.	45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S.
	Epping and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%	18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Auburn and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Epping and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Epping and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,711±$10kHighest 45% above U.S.	$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S.
	Auburn and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$16kLowest 20% above U.S.	$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S.
	Epping and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$155Lowest 4% above U.S.	$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S.
	Epping and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,289Lowest 70% above U.S.	$6,936Highest 122% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Epping and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	32 minHighest 22% above U.S.
Work from home	14.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#106 of 282 in MA	#77 of 120 in NH
School district	Auburn	Epping School District
High school in town	Auburn Senior High	Epping High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	9.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.