Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Epping vs Hooksett vs Barnstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($295k median).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Barnstead has the most homeowners (93.6%).
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 | Pittsfield | Epping | Hooksett | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,105Lowest |
7,430 |
15,057Highest |
4,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±5.1 4% below NH |
45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
| Epping and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±6 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,318±$14kLowest 25% below NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
$111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
| Hooksett and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,800±$30kLowest 27% below NH |
$436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$362,400±$25k 10% below NH |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,239±$182Lowest 17% below NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,694Lowest 15% below NH |
$6,936Highest 4% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
$6,003 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.5%±27.3 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
31 min 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #93 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pittsfield School District | Epping School District | Hooksett School District | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | Pittsfield High School | Epping High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.