Compare towns
Epping vs Bow vs Townsend
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
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 | Bow | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
8,335 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Epping and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Townsend 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% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Bow 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% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Epping 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 29% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Bow 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. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Epping and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936 122% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Epping School District | Bow School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Epping High School | Bow High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
12.8 |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.