Compare towns
Epsom vs Bow vs Hooksett vs Epping
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Epsom has the most affordable homes ($338k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Hooksett has the most renters (19.4% rent).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
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 | Epsom | Bow | Hooksett | Epping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,939Lowest |
8,335 |
15,057Highest |
7,430 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.4Highest 9% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
| Epsom and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Epsom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.4 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,941±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $338,400±$19kLowest 16% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
| Bow and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,212±$437Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,210Lowest 7% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
$6,936 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 71.2%±19.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Epsom and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 15% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Bow 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 | #69 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Epsom School District | Bow School District | Hooksett School District | Epping School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | Epping High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
— | 9.3Lowest |
| 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.