Compare towns
Mapleton vs Strong vs Epping vs Pittston
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).
Strong has the oldest population (median age 47.5).
Epping has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Pittston has the shortest commute (26 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 | Strong | Epping | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
7,430Highest |
3,093 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
47.5±8.9Highest 22% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
41.4±5.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Strong and Epping 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% |
19.5%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pittston and Epping 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. |
$47,557±$10kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$86,614±$18k 7% above U.S. |
| Epping and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$183,900±$29kLowest 45% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$238,700±$66k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$920±$276 35% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,080±$593 24% below U.S. |
| Epping and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$1,950 37% below U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$1,909 39% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
20.9%±52.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±34.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Strong 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 | — | — | #77 of 120 in NH | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Epping School District | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.