Compare towns
Columbia vs Epping vs Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Columbia has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
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 | Columbia | Epping | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 683Lowest |
7,430 |
15,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.8±10.1Highest 20% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
| Columbia and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±5.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Epping and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.9%±8.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Columbia and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,917±$13kLowest 42% below NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
| Hooksett and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,400±$29kLowest 51% below NH |
$436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $792±$333Lowest 47% below NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,009Lowest 70% below NH |
$6,936Highest 4% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 9.1%±95.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 11.2%±6.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #77 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school 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 |
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.