Compare towns
Methuen vs Epping vs Hooksett vs Haverhill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Methuen has the most expensive homes ($500k median).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Haverhill has the most renters (37.2% rent).
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 | Methuen | Epping | Hooksett | Haverhill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 53,475 |
7,430Lowest |
15,057 |
67,698Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$453,900±$9k 36% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,668±$49 18% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061 62% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$4,772Lowest 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.2%±5.3 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 | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #243 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Epping School District | Hooksett School District | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Epping High School | None in town | Haverhill High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— | 12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.