Compare towns
Mapleton vs Chester vs Epping vs Castle Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Chester | Epping | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
5,300 |
7,430Highest |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.2±3.8 21% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
57.8±15.8Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Castle Hill and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
44.8%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$142,212±$19kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$54,250±$14kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$552,300±$42kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$145,300±$18kLowest 56% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
— | $1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$950±$574 33% below U.S. |
| Epping and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 43% below U.S. |
$8,464Highest 171% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$1,449Lowest 54% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
19%±72.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castle Hill and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Chester 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 | — | #90 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Chester School District | Epping School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Epping High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.