Compare towns
Epping vs Lunenburg vs Townsend
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%).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Lunenburg | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
11,902Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1 11% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Epping and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend 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% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$463,900±$24kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg 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 23% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Epping 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. |
$6,401 105% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Townsend 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% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 22% above U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Lunenburg 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 | #87 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Epping School District | Lunenburg | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Epping High School | Lunenburg High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
12.4 |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.