Compare towns
Chester vs Epping vs Deering vs Derry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Deering has the most affordable homes ($310k median).
Derry has the most renters (29.8% rent).
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 | Chester | Epping | Deering | Derry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,300 |
7,430 |
1,938Lowest |
34,116Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
48.8±5.7Highest 13% above NH |
40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
| Deering and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Derry and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
23.9%±1.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Deering and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
31%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Derry and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$101,250±$16kLowest about the NH average |
$108,944±$7k 10% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$309,900±$27kLowest 23% below NH |
$432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,306±$116Lowest 12% below NH |
$1,547±$138 4% above NH |
| Epping and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$6,223Lowest 7% below NH |
$8,103 22% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.9%±27.6 NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
14.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.7% NH: 72.8% |
70.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 31% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
40 minHighest 49% above NH |
31 minLowest 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
10%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Chester 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 | #90 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | — | #60 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Epping School District | — | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | — | Pinkerton Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
— | 13.9Highest |
| 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.