Compare towns
Chester vs Epping vs Henniker vs Strafford
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 most expensive homes ($552k median).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Chester | Epping | Henniker | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,300 |
7,430Highest |
6,197 |
4,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
| Chester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Epping 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%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$122,105±$22k 23% above NH |
| Chester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,635±$246 10% above NH |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464 27% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$6,086Lowest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Epping 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% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 31% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Epping School District | Henniker School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— | — |
| 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.