Compare towns
Stow vs Epping vs Stoneham vs Lovell
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 most expensive homes ($437k median).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (40.7%).
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 | Stoneham | Lovell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 535 |
7,430Highest |
271Lowest |
1,353 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57±10.5 47% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
60.6±7.1Highest 56% above U.S. |
52.2±3.5 34% above U.S. |
| Stoneham and Stow 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% |
5.9%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.2 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%±17.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
41%±17.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stoneham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.8%±13.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Stoneham and Lovell 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. |
$63,750±$27k 21% below U.S. |
$80,625±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$42k about the U.S. average |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$226,200±$32kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$295,000±$47k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,125±$383Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,419±$178 about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,304 6% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$1,426Lowest 54% below U.S. |
$1,480 53% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.3%±29.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Stoneham 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 18 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 51 minHighest 95% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.7%±15.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stoneham 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 | — | 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 | 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.