Compare towns
Hampstead vs Lee vs North Hampton 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
Hampstead has the most renters (17.9% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
North Hampton has the most expensive homes ($670k median).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Hampstead | Lee | North Hampton | Epping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,102Highest |
4,576 |
4,543Lowest |
7,430 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
42.9±1.9Lowest about the NH average |
50.5±3.3Highest 17% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
| North Hampton and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.2%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
26%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
| North Hampton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9% NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
| Lee and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$146,458±$29kHighest 48% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
| North Hampton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$670,400±$61kHighest 67% above NH |
$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
— | $1,805±$106Highest 21% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
| North Hampton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 30% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$8,529 28% above NH |
$6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.3% NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
| Work from home | 21%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and North Hampton 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #12 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hampstead School District | Oyster River Coop School District | North Hampton School District | Epping School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Epping High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.