Compare towns
Hooksett vs Epping vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k 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 | Hooksett | Epping | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057 |
7,430Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$53,580±$4kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$978±$72Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 110% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$2,755Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Waterville 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Epping School District | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.