Compare towns
Stow vs Epping vs Fryeburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most homeowners (96.2%).
Epping has the highest household income ($104k).
Fryeburg has the shortest commute (20 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 | Stow | Epping | Fryeburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 535Lowest |
7,430Highest |
3,489 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57±10.5Highest 47% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
53.3±3.4 37% above U.S. |
| Stow and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.9%±17.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stow and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $42,204±$22kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$56,076±$15k 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$42k about the U.S. average |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$268,600±$30kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$893±$85Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,304 6% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$2,928Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 18 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 51 minHighest 95% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±12 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Stow 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 | #103 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Epping School District | RSU 72/MSAD 72 |
| High school 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 |
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.