Compare towns
Chester vs Epping vs Pembroke
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%).
Pembroke has the shortest commute (25 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 | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,300Lowest |
7,430 |
7,438Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
41.9±3.3Lowest 3% below NH |
| Chester and Epping 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%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke 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%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Chester 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% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| 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 44% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
| Epping and Pembroke 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 |
$6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
$7,589 14% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Pembroke 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% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Pembroke 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 | #85 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Epping School District | Pembroke School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | Pembroke Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.