Compare towns
Castine vs Epping vs Jackson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castine has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Jackson has the most affordable homes ($232k median).
Castine is a college town. 47.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Castine | Epping | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,362 |
7,430Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 21.2±0.7Lowest 46% below U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
37.7±5.8 3% below U.S. |
| Epping and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Castine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 74.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 47.7%±7.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$26kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$75,167±$19kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Castine and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,500±$114kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$231,500±$16kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$104 22% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$629±$12Lowest 55% below U.S. |
| Epping and Castine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,250 36% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$2,651Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.3%±56 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Castine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 46% below U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.3%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Jackson 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 | Castine Public Schools | Epping School District | — |
| High school 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.