Compare towns
Fall River vs Epping vs Hooksett vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
New Bedford has the most kids (23.9% 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 | Fall River | Epping | Hooksett | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082 |
7,430Lowest |
15,057 |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
37±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$56,981±$3k 29% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$357,300±$6kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 18% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$4,338 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Epping School District | Hooksett School District | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Epping High School | None in town | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
9.3Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.