Compare towns
Rochester vs Epping vs Braintree vs Pittsfield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Pittsfield has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,389 |
7,430Highest |
1,026 |
391Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
53.8±3.5 38% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Pittsfield 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% |
13.6%±8.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Pittsfield 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%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±7.1 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% |
45.4% 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% |
2.8%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$65,852±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$313,300±$73k 6% 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. |
$1,035±$140 27% below U.S. |
| Epping and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 28% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$5,181 66% 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% |
35.6%±43Lowest 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% |
8.4% 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% |
76.2%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. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.1%±24.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Pittsfield 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.