Compare towns
Epping vs Strafford vs Weare vs Raymond
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%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($122k).
Weare has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Raymond has grown the fastest since 2010 (+30.9%).
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 | Strafford | Weare | Raymond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,430 |
4,306 |
9,170Highest |
3,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+30.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
47.7±13.3Highest 10% above NH |
| Raymond and Strafford 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% |
17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.6%±7.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.2%±6.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Raymond and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% NH: 40.6% |
40.2% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
24.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
6.9%±4.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Raymond and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$122,105±$22kHighest 23% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$73,066±$8kLowest 26% below NH |
| Strafford and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
$396,300±$26k about the NH average |
$314,900±$34kLowest 22% below NH |
| Epping and Strafford 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 |
$1,635±$246 10% above NH |
$1,541±$214 3% above NH |
$994±$450Lowest 33% below NH |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936Highest 4% above NH |
$6,086 9% below NH |
$6,272 6% below NH |
$5,113Lowest 23% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9 NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±13.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Epping 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% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
36 min 34% above NH |
31 minLowest 14% above NH |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Weare 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 | #73 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH | #96 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Strafford School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | — |
| High school in town | Epping High School | None in town | John Stark Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.