Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Epping vs Lyme 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
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Dunbarton | Epping | Lyme | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097 |
7,430 |
1,710Lowest |
9,170Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 11% above NH |
45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
| Lyme and Dunbarton 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% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Dunbarton 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%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Epping 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% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest 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 | $124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
| Lyme 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±$35k 9% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,541±$214 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 | $8,233 23% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Lowest 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 | 3% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 25% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Epping 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 | — | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Epping School District | Lyme School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | None in town | 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 | 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.