What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).

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	Topsham
People
Population	7,430Lowest	9,706Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S.	44.7±4Lowest 15% above U.S.
	Epping and Topsham 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%	19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Topsham and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Topsham 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	50%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Epping and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S.	$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S.
	Epping and Topsham 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.	$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S.	$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S.
	Epping and Topsham 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.	$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Epping and Topsham 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%	6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1980Lowest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 22% above U.S.	24 minLowest 11% below U.S.
Work from home	24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Epping and Topsham 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	#66 of 133 in ME
School district	Epping School District	RSU 75/MSAD 75
High school in town	Epping High School	Mt Ararat High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	12.2Highest
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.