Compare towns
Epping vs Gilford vs Strafford
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%).
Gilford has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Strafford has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Gilford | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430 |
7,830Highest |
4,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8% NH: +4.6% |
+6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH |
46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
| Gilford and Strafford 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% |
20.6%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Gilford 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 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Gilford 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% |
45.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Strafford 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 |
$116,635±$11k 18% above NH |
$122,105±$22kHighest 23% above NH |
| Strafford and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$456,500±$56kHighest 13% above NH |
$427,900±$29kLowest 6% above NH |
| Gilford 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 17% above NH |
$1,150±$747Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,635±$246 10% above NH |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936Highest 4% above NH |
$4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
$6,086 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Gilford 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 | #45 of 120 in NH | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Gilford School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | Gilford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
11.5Highest |
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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.