Compare towns
Epping vs Chester vs Laconia
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 people working from home (24%).
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 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 | Chester | Laconia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430 |
5,300Lowest |
17,085Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
45.3±3.9 5% above NH |
| Chester and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.8%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Laconia and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% NH: 40.6% |
41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest 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 | $104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$340,300±$16kLowest 15% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
— | $1,224±$107Lowest 18% below NH |
| Epping and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936 4% above NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$4,484Lowest 33% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.5%±10.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #105 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Chester School District | Laconia School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | None in town | Laconia High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 10.0Highest |
| 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.