Compare towns
Nashua vs Chester vs Epping
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
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 | Nashua | Chester | Epping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 91,294Highest |
5,300Lowest |
7,430 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40±1.3Lowest 8% below NH |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
| Chester and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.1% NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Epping and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,326±$5kLowest about the NH average |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $403,900±$11kLowest about the NH average |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,737±$41Lowest 16% above NH |
— | $1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
| Epping and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,799Lowest about the NH average |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.8%±4.2 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the NH average |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
| Work from home | 17.4%±1.6 NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Nashua 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 | #67 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Nashua School District | Chester School District | Epping School District |
| High school in town | Nashua High School South | None in town | Epping High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 9.3Lowest |
| 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.