Compare towns
Plaistow vs Epping vs Kingston vs Hooksett
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 kids (19.8% under 18).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
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 | Kingston | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,861 |
7,430 |
6,275Lowest |
15,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7Lowest 7% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Plaistow and Epping 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%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Kingston and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
35.1% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest 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±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$105,330±$12k 6% above NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above 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±$32kLowest about the NH average |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$492,900±$58kHighest 22% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
| Kingston and Epping 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 |
$1,393±$156Lowest 7% below NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
| Epping and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194 8% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$7,906Highest 19% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest 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% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 7% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Kingston 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Epping School District | Sanborn Regional School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Epping High School | Sanborn Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
9.3Lowest |
12.9Highest |
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| 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.