Compare towns
Strafford vs Epping vs South Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
South Hooksett has the youngest population (median age 35.2).
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 | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,306Lowest |
7,430Highest |
5,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1Highest 7% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
35.2±3.6Lowest 19% below NH |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Epping and Strafford 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% |
13.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,105±$22k 23% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$130,000±$15kHighest 31% above NH |
| South Hooksett 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±$29kLowest 6% above NH |
$436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$433,200±$40k 8% above NH |
| Epping and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246 10% above NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,471±$217Lowest about the NH average |
| Epping and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,086Lowest 9% below NH |
$6,936Highest 4% above NH |
$6,801 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9 NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25Lowest 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Strafford 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 | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | Epping School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.