What stands out worked out from the figures below

Epping has the most people working from home (24%).

Lowell has the most renters (56.8% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Epping	Lowell
People
Population	7,430Lowest	118,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S.	35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lowell 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%	12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S.	$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S.	$429,200±$11kLowest 29% above U.S.
	Epping and Lowell 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.	$1,625±$40Lowest 15% above U.S.
	Epping and Lowell 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.	$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	52.4%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Epping and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 22% above U.S.	28 minLowest 6% above U.S.
Work from home	24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#77 of 120 in NH	#255 of 282 in MA
School district	Epping School District	Lowell
High school in town	Epping High School	Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.