Compare towns
China vs Epping vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
China has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Sidney 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 | China | Epping | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,526Lowest |
7,430Highest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
43±5.5 11% above U.S. |
| Epping and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12k 19% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$83,488±$10kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Epping and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,000±$37kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,340±$304Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Epping and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,535 19% below U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Sidney 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 | #27 of 133 in ME | #77 of 120 in NH | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Epping School District | RSU 18 |
| 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 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.