Compare towns
Plaistow vs Epping vs Hooksett vs Jaffrey
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plaistow has the most renters (21.9% rent).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
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 | Plaistow | Epping | Hooksett | Jaffrey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,861 |
7,430 |
15,057Highest |
5,448Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
-2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7Lowest 7% below NH |
45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
42.9±3.9 about the NH average |
| Epping and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.1%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Jaffrey and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.5%±3.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
31.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,317±$13k 9% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
$92,330±$18kLowest 7% below NH |
| Hooksett and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32k about the NH average |
$436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$245,500±$27kLowest 39% 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 | $1,664±$187 12% above NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$962±$202Lowest 35% below NH |
| Epping and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194Highest 8% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
$6,196Lowest 7% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
45.7%±23 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
81.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 7% above NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Plaistow 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #87 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Epping School District | Hooksett School District | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Epping High School | None in town | Conant Middle High School (H) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
9.3Lowest |
— | 21.3Highest |
| 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.