Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Epping vs Chester
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 oldest population (median age 48).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
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 | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
7,430Highest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Dunbarton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Epping and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
| Chester and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
| Chester and Dunbarton 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 |
— |
| Epping and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233 23% above NH |
$6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest 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% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1989Lowest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 25% above NH |
32 minLowest 21% above NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Chester 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 | #90 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Epping School District | Chester 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.