Compare towns
Epping vs Sturbridge vs Weare
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Weare has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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 | Sturbridge | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
9,960Highest |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
45.6±4 17% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Weare 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% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Weare and Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Sturbridge 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. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$118,271±$17k 46% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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 31% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$396,300±$26kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Epping and Sturbridge 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. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,541±$214 9% above U.S. |
| Epping and Weare 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. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$6,272Lowest 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.2%±24.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 22% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3 |
7.7Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.