Compare towns
Epping vs Brookline vs Hampstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Hampstead has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Brookline | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430 |
5,736Lowest |
9,102Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
45.3±6.1Highest 5% above NH |
| Hampstead and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookline 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 5% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
| Brookline and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,742±$576 17% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
| Brookline and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1988Lowest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
30 minLowest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Brookline School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3 |
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| 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.