Compare towns
Epping vs Methuen vs Hampstead
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%).
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Hampstead has the most expensive homes ($521k median).
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 | Methuen | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
53,475Highest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.3±6.1Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Hampstead and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Hampstead 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% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6Lowest 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. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Hampstead 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±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Hampstead and Methuen 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. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below 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 | $6,936 122% above U.S. |
$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Hampstead 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 | #236 of 282 in MA | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Methuen | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | Methuen High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
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.