Compare towns
Epping vs Walpole 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 affordable homes ($437k median).
Walpole has the highest household income ($172k).
Hampstead has the shortest commute (30 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.
| Measure | Epping | Walpole | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
26,388Highest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
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% |
25.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Hampstead 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% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$171,500±$16kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$687,100±$20kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$2,205±$222Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936Lowest 122% above U.S. |
$8,523 173% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Hampstead 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% |
3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walpole and Epping 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epping School District | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | Walpole High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
11.3Highest |
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| 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.