Compare towns
Epping vs Chester vs Meredith
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
Meredith has the shortest commute (26 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 | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Highest |
5,300Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest 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% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.1% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Chester and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
— | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Epping and Meredith 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 |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Meredith 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% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Chester School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| 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.