Compare towns
Chester vs Epping vs Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 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 | Chester | Epping | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,300Lowest |
7,430Highest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8 21% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Chester and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Chester 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 76% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,300±$42kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Chester and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,742±$576Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464Highest 171% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Chester School District | Epping School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| 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 |
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.