Compare towns
Dorchester vs Epping vs Weare
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Epping has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Weare has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Dorchester | Epping | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
7,430 |
9,170Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
| Dorchester and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Epping and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$118,271±$17kHighest 19% above NH |
| Weare and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$396,300±$26k about the NH average |
| Epping and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,541±$214Lowest 3% above NH |
| Epping and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$6,936Highest 4% above NH |
$6,272 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
32 minLowest 21% above NH |
36 min 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Weare 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Epping School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.