Compare towns
Hampstead vs Pelham vs Epping vs Weare
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).
Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Weare has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
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 | Pelham | Epping | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,102 |
14,449Highest |
7,430Lowest |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
45.6±4Highest 5% above NH |
| Weare 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% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| 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+ | 44.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40% NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Pelham 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 |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
| Pelham and Weare 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 |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Pelham and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,541±$214 3% above NH |
| Epping and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±20.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Pelham 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% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1986Lowest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above NH |
30 minLowest 10% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 21%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hampstead School District | Pelham School District | Epping School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | Epping High School | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
9.3Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.