Compare towns
Strafford vs Epping vs Barnstead vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Chester has the most expensive homes ($552k median).
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 | Strafford | Epping | Barnstead | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,306Lowest |
7,430Highest |
4,994 |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
| Chester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2% NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,105±$22k 23% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
| Chester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246 10% above NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
— |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,086 9% below NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9 NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
31 minLowest 16% above NH |
35 min 31% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Chester 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 | #73 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Strafford School District | Epping School District | Barnstead School District | Chester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— | — |
| 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.