Compare towns
Epping vs Hooksett vs Saco
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).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 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 | Hooksett | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
15,057 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Epping and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest 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%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Saco 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%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% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above 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±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Epping and Saco 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. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 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. |
$4,807Lowest 54% 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% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Saco 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% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Saco 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 | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Epping School District | Hooksett School District | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Epping High School | None in town | 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.