What stands out worked out from the figures below

Concord has the most renters (43.2% rent).

Essex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Concord	Essex
People
Population	44,375Highest	11,516Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.7±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	42.4±1.9Highest 9% above U.S.
	Essex and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Essex and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,902±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.	$110,199±$14kHighest 36% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$350,900±$13kLowest 5% above U.S.	$447,300±$14kHighest 34% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,441±$43Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,569±$138Highest 11% above U.S.
	Essex and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,227Highest 132% above U.S.	$6,602Lowest 112% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.1%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±13.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Essex and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 13% below U.S.	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	14.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Essex and Concord 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	#89 of 120 in NH	#13 of 70 in VT
School district	Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51
High school in town	Concord High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	13.0	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.