Compare towns
Epping vs Keene vs Dunbarton
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%).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dunbarton has the highest household income ($124k).
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 | Keene | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430 |
22,939Highest |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Epping 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Dunbarton 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% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Dunbarton 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% |
44.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$124,348±$21kHighest 26% above NH |
| Dunbarton 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 9% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
| Dunbarton 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 |
$1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Epping and Keene 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 |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$8,233Highest 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Keene School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | Keene High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
12.3Highest |
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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.