Compare towns
Rochester vs Epping vs Braintree vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Epping has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Hancock has the most renters (40.5% 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 | Rochester | Epping | Braintree | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,389 |
7,430Highest |
1,026 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
33.8±11.6Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$76,250±$34k 6% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28k 35% below U.S. |
$187,900±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$939±$19 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 28% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,511Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Epping 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Epping School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.