Compare towns
Epping vs Hooksett vs Ayer
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 the most people working from home (24%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Ayer has the most renters (41.9% 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 | Hooksett | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430 |
15,057Highest |
3,098Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9 8% above U.S. |
| Epping and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett 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±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$444,600±$43kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Ayer 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. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,240±$169Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$4,911Lowest 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Ayer 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% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Ayer 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Epping School District | Hooksett School District | — |
| High school in town | Epping High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3 |
— | — |
| 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.