What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Methuen has the most renters (27.7% 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	Methuen
People
Population	7,430Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.1% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S.	39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average
	Epping and Methuen 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%	21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Methuen 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%	17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Epping and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Methuen 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 29% above U.S.	$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S.
	Methuen 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±$35kLowest 31% above U.S.	$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,742±$576Lowest 23% above U.S.	$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S.
	Methuen 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.	$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Epping and Methuen 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%	7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 22% above U.S.	28 minLowest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#77 of 120 in NH	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Epping School District	Methuen
High school in town	Epping High School	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.