Compare towns
Bow vs Epping vs Hampstead vs Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Hampstead has the most expensive homes ($521k median).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
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 | Bow | Epping | Hampstead | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
7,430Lowest |
9,102 |
15,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
45.3±6.1Highest 5% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
| Hampstead and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Hampstead and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Epping School District | Hampstead School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Epping High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.