Compare towns
Epping vs Hooksett vs Bridgewater
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).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430 |
15,057Highest |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±0.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Bridgewater 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. |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% 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±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Epping and Hooksett 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. |
$850±$778Lowest 40% 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. |
$3,418Lowest 10% 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% |
59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Bridgewater 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% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #77 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | — |
| 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.