Compare towns
Haverhill vs Epping vs Plaistow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Haverhill has the most renters (37.2% rent).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Plaistow has the most affordable homes ($405k 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 | Haverhill | Epping | Plaistow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
7,430Lowest |
7,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
40.1±3.7 3% above U.S. |
| Epping and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Haverhill and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$108,317±$13kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Plaistow and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$404,500±$32kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Haverhill and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49 18% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,664±$187Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Epping and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,772Lowest 53% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$7,194Highest 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Plaistow 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 | #243 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #66 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Epping School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Epping High School | Timberlane Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
9.3Lowest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.