Compare towns
Hillsborough vs Epping vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($265k median).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Hillsborough | Epping | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,616Lowest |
7,430Highest |
4,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.1% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.9±16Highest 15% above NH |
45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
| Hillsborough and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.7%±7.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hillsborough and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
40.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,205±$28kLowest 50% below NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$122,105±$22kHighest 23% above NH |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $265,200±$51kLowest 34% below NH |
$436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,138±$201Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,635±$246 10% above NH |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,437Lowest 18% below NH |
$6,936Highest 4% above NH |
$6,086 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.8%±22.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9 NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 35 yrs older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 55% above NH |
32 minLowest 21% above NH |
36 min 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 10.2%±7.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Strafford 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 | #97 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.