Compare towns
Epping vs Ayer vs Raymond
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Raymond has the most affordable homes ($370k 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 | Epping | Ayer | Raymond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
8,645 |
10,900Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±3.8 12% above U.S. |
| Epping and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$104,597±$10kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Raymond and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$370,400±$17kLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Ayer and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,376±$196Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,057Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$6,146 97% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.1%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Ayer 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 | #113 of 282 in MA | #96 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Raymond School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Raymond High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
11.5Highest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.