Compare towns
Braintree vs Charleston vs Epping
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Charleston has the most homeowners (87.1%).
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.
| Measure | Braintree | Charleston | Epping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
936Lowest |
7,430Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
58.4±9.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
37.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charleston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$49,286±$17kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$979±$444 31% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Epping and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,750Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±26.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Braintree 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 | — | — | #77 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Charleston School District | Epping School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Epping High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.