Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Epping vs Barnstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunbarton has the highest household income ($124k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
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 | Dunbarton | Epping | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
7,430Highest |
4,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
| Dunbarton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21kHighest 26% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
| Dunbarton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
| Epping and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233Highest 23% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
31 minLowest 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Barnstead 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Epping School District | Barnstead School District |
| 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 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.