Compare towns
Epping vs Hooksett vs Merrimack
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%).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Merrimack has the most kids (22% under 18).
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 | Merrimack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
15,057 |
28,164Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
41.5±2.2 4% below NH |
| Epping and Merrimack 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% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Merrimack 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% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| 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 NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
50.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| 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±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$127,219±$16kHighest 28% above NH |
| Merrimack and Hooksett 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 |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$458,600±$15kHighest 14% above NH |
| Merrimack and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,742±$576 17% above NH |
$1,661±$206Lowest 11% above NH |
$1,932±$147Highest 30% above NH |
| Merrimack and Epping 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 |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$7,345Highest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Merrimack 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 | #58 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Hooksett School District | Merrimack School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | None in town | Merrimack High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| 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.