Compare towns
Exeter vs Epping vs Chester vs Hampstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
Hampstead has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Epping | Chester | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
7,430 |
5,300Lowest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
| Chester and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hampstead and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.1% NH: 40.6% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
| Chester and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
| Chester and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
— | $1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
| Exeter and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
$8,464 27% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Hampstead 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Epping School District | Chester School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Epping High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.