What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanson has the highest household income ($132k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hanson	Epping
People
Population	10,660Highest	7,430Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3Lowest 10% above U.S.	45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S.
	Epping and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Hanson and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Epping and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Epping and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,200±$10kHighest 64% above U.S.	$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S.	$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S.	$1,742±$576Lowest 23% above U.S.
	Hanson and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,402Lowest 105% above U.S.	$6,936Highest 122% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	67.8%±25.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hanson and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above U.S.	32 minLowest 22% above U.S.
Work from home	7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#149 of 282 in MA	#77 of 120 in NH
School district	Whitman-Hanson	Epping School District
High school in town	Whitman Hanson Regional	Epping High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	9.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.