Compare towns
Brookline vs Epping vs Hampstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Hampstead has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Brookline | Epping | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
7,430 |
9,102Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
45.3±6.1Highest 5% above NH |
| Hampstead and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4 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+ | 57.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
| Brookline and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
| Brookline and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 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 | 0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1988Lowest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
30 minLowest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Epping 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Epping School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.